Princess Granger
by tiduwen
Summary: Hermione finds out she's a princess & has to learn how to act like a princess before time runs out so she asks Malfoy for help. everything goes well... so how does she get pregnant? R
1. Sweet sixteen

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

NOTE: this story was written before the sixth book came out so you'll just have to ignore everything that doesn't seem to fit. Enjoy!

Chapter one 

It was a wonderfully sunny day when Hermione Granger woke from a peaceful sleep. She wondered if she was imaging the suns beauty as she danced down the stairs, dressed neatly in bell-bottom jeans and a neat red tank top. She did a little twirl at the bottom of the stairs, letting her untamed hair flare around her face.

"Happy birthday, princess" her father, Tom, said as she entered the little kitchen of her suburban home. Her mother, Jane, gave her husband a curious glance before returning to the dishes.

"What are your plans for today?" Tom asked casually, watching his only daughter eat a whole piece of marmalade toast in less than thirty seconds.

"Well-" she started, Swallowing and looking out the window thoughtfully. "-I might go to the pool with Mel then go shopping with that money Grandma sent me"

"Spend it on something nice, honey" Jane said, smiling strangely as she glanced continuously at the front door. Hermione excused this strange behaviour and gave both her mother and father a kiss on the cheek before skipping next door to find her best muggle friend waiting for her.

"Happy birthday, Hermione" Mel gave her a hug and they began walking towards the pool. About halfway there they had to stop as five black limousines drove past.

"I wish I was the queen" Mel sighed as she watched the royal cars drive out of sight. "That would be awesome. I could do what ever I wanted!"

Hermione wrinkled her nose a little as she thought about what her friend said.

"You know, being royal isn't all a party. You have the media and politics to deal with. You wouldn't have any privacy and you don't get to do what you want. Your advisors tell you what to do!"

It was Mel's turn to frown.

"Your to smart for your own good, Hermione. Liven up a little. Live the fantasy! Not everything in books is true"

The girls spent a leisurely morning at the pool before heading over to the mall for some serious shopping.

It was late afternoon when Hermione returned home, arms loaded with bags of clothes, accessories and a few books. Her parents weren't there but she didn't think anything of it as she ran up the stairs to her small bedroom. They were probably at the shops.

Her bedroom, the smallest in the house, was baby pink with white trimmings. A single bed with white covers sat against the opposite wall with white beside cabinets on either side. Each cabinet had a red, mushroom shaped lamp on it and a few little ornaments of cats and horses sprinkled around their bases. Her old oak dresser was against the sidewall. Its mirror was covered in stickers of teen celebrities. The top of the dresser was littered in schoolbooks, teen magazines, cheap make up and jewellery and photos of her friends, Harry and Ron, from school.

Hermione didn't like her room. It was a little girl's room and she was sick of living like a little girl. However much she begged her parents though, they would not let her get a double bed, or paint her room acid green, or play loud, heavy metal music.

Today though, she didn't mind as much. Somehow she felt a bit different being sixteen. A lot older, and more mature (if that's possible).

She dropped her shopping bags at the foot of her bed and flopped back on it. She felt something hard poking into her back and she picked up the white envelope and examined it.

'Hermione' was scrawled across it in perfect longhand. Next she ran her fingers over the wax seal. It had a crest of an eagle and a mustang (horse) printed on it.

Having no idea who it was from, Hermione opened the letter with shaky hands, unfolded the short letter inside and began to read.

_Dearest Hermione,_

_If by chance you are reading this letter, it would be your sixteenth birthday. For a princess this is the happiest day of her life. For a princess this is the day of her 'coming forth' ceremony. My dearest Hermione, you are a princess and tomorrow will be your coming fourth ceremony. Your father, (Alfred Charles Hamish Granger V) and I (Clarisse Anne Lilly Granger) are delighted to announce your return to Royalty. We shall collect you at dusk today; everything shall be explained on the trip back to Orkney Island._

_Yours truly, Clarisse._

Hermione let the letter fall from her hands as she tried to decipher what it meant. Princess? Coming forth ceremony? ROYALTY?

This was probably some cruel joke. Malfoy or some other foul Slytherin had probably sent it to tease her.

Convinced that it was a prank, Hermione forgot about the letter and began unpacking her shopping. She put on her new, stylishly torn jeans, her new halter neck, and her new pair of joggers.

There was a knock on the door downstairs and, wondering who is was, she ran to get it.

Standing there, on her 'welcome' mat was a tall, extremely muscular man wearing all black clothes, a leather jacket and tinted shades. Hermione was slightly taken aback by this weirdo and she became even more shocked when he bowed at the waist.

"Afternoon, Princess Hermione" he said in a low, rumbling voice. Hermione laughed. Malfoy had really gone out of his way this time!

When the man straightened up Hermione saw that he was smiling.

"May I escort you to the car?"

Hermione peered around his bulky figure at three white limousines parked outside her house. Two small flags stood, erect, on either side of the hood on all three cars. Hermione noticed, with some horror, that the flags bore the same emblem as the seal on her letter.

"Um" she started. How could she tell this man that she though he was a loony and she had to wait til her parents returned home. It was now that she noticed the man had a gun strapped to his belt.

Hermione tried to slam the door shut but he held it open with a trunk like arm.

"Princess, your parents are waiting. We must leave to ensure a precise arrival on Orkney Island"

"I don't think…" but before she could finish he had taken her gently by the arm and led her to the middle limousine. Unable to do anything else, she slid into the spacious back seat and settled herself in the middle of the white leather seat.

The huge man got in the front beside a dark skinned driver. The three cars started off slowly down the street.

"Can you tell me what's going on, please?' Hermione asked, gripping the edge of the seat very tightly. If this was still a joke, and Hermione highly doubted that it was, it had gone an awful long way and now she was terrified out of her mind.

The driver smiled at her in the rear view mirror.

"Sorry, Princess. You shall find out soon enough."

"Well can I at least know your names?" she said, slightly panicky, though she tried her hardest to keep the fear out of her voice. The bulky man turned in his seat to face her. He took off his glasses and grinned.

"I'm Charlie," he said. Hermione extended a hand to shake and he swept it up to his lips and kissed her middle finger. "I'm your bodyguard from here on out. This here is Troy. He's your personal driver. Don't you worry, M'lady, your quite safe with us"

They drove for almost twenty minutes. Hermione couldn't see where they were going due to the tinted windows and was shocked to see that they had arrived at the London Airport.

Troy and Charlie led her to a small building to the side of the airport where they registered her as a flyer before leading her straight out onto the runway.

"Don't we have to go through customs?" she asked, looking back over her shoulder. She could see a small group of people following at a distance and she was beginning to worry again. Charlie laughed.

"Princesses don't go through customs!" he exclaimed, steering her over to a small jet and up the temporary staircase and into a luxurious space, separated into two parts by a royal blue curtain. Troy went into the cockpit to speak to the pilot while Charlie led Hermione to the back part of the plane and sat her by a window so she was looking over a long stretch of cement and not the airport.

More people entered the plane and Hermione tried to peer around the blue curtain.

"We leave immediately," said a strong male voice before the curtain was pulled back and a man and Women came forward.

Hermione smiled shyly at them, suddenly conscious of her daggy clothing.

The woman smiled back as the Man offered her the seat closest to Hermione.

Hermione noticed in shock that the woman looked exactly like her except her hair fell down her back in shiny waves. She was wearing an extremely light purple dress that fell to the floor and fanned out slightly. The upper part of the dress clung to the woman's body, showing a small amount of cleavage below the thin straps.

The man had chocolate brown eyes (like Hermione) and curly black hair. He was wearing formal black pants and a white button up shirt with the top two buttons casually undone. A black coat was slung over one arm and he took a seat next to the window facing the airport.

Neither the man nor Woman spoke to Hermione until the jet was level in the sky and heading north of London.

"Well, my dear" the Woman said, patting Hermione's knee to gain her attention. "First I should probably introduce myself and my husband. My name is Clarisse. You should have received my letter today. And this is my husband Alfred."

"You sent that letter?" Hermione gasped.

"I sent it sixteen years ago. I put a charm on it so that, on your sixteenth birthday, you would receive it one hour prior our arrival. You are the princess of Orkney Island and now that you are of age, it is time for you to be presented to the rest of the world"

"So I gathered," Hermione muttered darkly. The king and queen glanced at each other.

"So Hermione" Alfred said kindly "I hear you're a prefect at Hogwarts. I went to Hogwarts in my day. Your mother went to Beauxbatons"

Hermione's jaw dropped. "Your _magic_?" she screeched. "Why didn't you say something?"

"I…I just did" Alfred said, a little taken aback by Hermione's unladylike attitude.

"Ok" Hermione said, calming down slightly. She needed to know the whole story. "In your letter, you said that you were my parents and I'm a Princess making you king and Queen. Well why am I living in London? Did I have assassins after me or something?"

"No, but you could have" Clarisse said, accepting a glass of champagne from a stewardess. "You were sent into the muggle world with Jane and Tom Hoggart for general safety and to live a normal life. It is custom amongst our people that if major royalty is born female they are sent from their family to mature as a commoner. If you live as a commoner then when you are royalty, you still have respect for the commoners. Its what makes a good leader."

"I know it comes as a shock to you, Hermione, but you will learn to adjust" Alfred offered, noticing the panic stricken look on Hermione's face.

"So what, I'll have this 'coming forth' thingy then I have to marry some prat you've hooked me up with? Then go and live at his castle, have his heirs and vow my loyalties to him all before the age of eighteen?"

"Quite the contrary" Clarisse stated. "Until your twenty-one, that's five years, you will socialise with other young nobles your age, you will finish your schooling and get to know your people and in general, practice becoming a princess."

For the rest of the trip to the island off Scotland, Hermione and her parents became well acquainted until Charlie poked his head around the curtain to address the family.

"Your majesties. We have arrived"

"Look out your window, Hermione" Alfred said as Hermione craned her neck to look down. She gasped in delight. Not far below, sitting perfectly on a hill, was a massive stone castle. It was as big as Hogwarts and much newer looking. Flags, erect on all six of the towers, were billowing majestically in the wind as the plane landed with a soft thump on the lush green lawns.

Hermione couldn't leave the plane fast enough. She wanted to explore the castle and grounds immediately. She set off towards the castle as a brisk walk with Charlie right behind her. When they were halfway to the castle they reached a garden of hedges and golden fountains. Hermione stopped to examine each one before turning her attention back on the castle.

"Would you like you see your room, Princess?" Charlie asked.

"Call me Hermione, Please" Hermione said, following her bodyguard into a cavernous entrance hall made completely of white marble. Great round pillars rose to hold the ceiling and arched across to meet each other. A silver chandelier hung from the centre of the ceiling with ever burning candles throwing dancing light across the sparkling floor. Charlie led her through a set of double doors at the other end of the hall and into a massive circular room with yet more pillars and a golden chandelier.

"This is the main room," Charlie explained, leading her across the room to a grand staircase the wound up to the next floor in a semi-circle. "This is where all the balls and other social events are held." The main room was also made of marble but it had gold trimmings and the floor seemed to be made of some kind of enchanted crystal.

Charlie led her up the stairs, along the balcony overlooking the main room then down a more plain (though still extravagant) hallway. After that it was up one more staircase, one more hallway then they stood in front of a mahogany door with a gold H on it.

Charlie left Hermione here and she waited until he was completely out of sight before opening the door and entering a room that was as big as her old house in London. She fought to hold back a scream of delight as she wandered slowly around the room, taking in the Egyptian slash Victorian furniture. Her king-sized four-poster bed was the last place she stopped. It had a quilt of a rich burgundy red with gold trimmings, one thousand count Egyptian cotton sheets and over twenty plump pillows. The hangings were made of a fine gold material as were the curtains hanging beside her arched windows. Over the other side of the room was a set of glass doors that led to a balcony overlooking a swimming pool make of sandstone, giving it a natural effect.

Opposite the glass doors, RIGHT over the other side of the room was another mahogany door that led to a bathroom suite with a fountain in the middle.

As Hermione danced around her new room, her new life, she couldn't help but think:

I can't wait until Malfoy hears.

_I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly  
I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky  
I'll make a wish  
Take a chance  
Make a change  
And breakaway  
Out of the darkness and into the sun  
But I won't forget all the ones that I loved  
I'll take a risk  
Take a chance   
Make a change  
And breakaway_

Well I hope that was enlightening for you. Please hit the little review button below…. Hit it…shakes fist


	2. I cant wait til Malfoy finds out

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

NOTE: this story was written before the sixth book came out so you'll just have to ignore everything that doesn't seem to fit. Enjoy!

Chapter two 

Hermione was woken the next morning by a young lady with curly blonde hair cut in a bob and a cheeky smile.

"Time to get ready for your ceremony, miss!" she said with a small curtsy. Hermione yawned and spread herself out more effectively across her bed.

"Who are you?" she asked, a little ruder then she meant.

"Kellie" the lady replied. "I'm your maid and carer. Its almost ten o'clock and your already running late!"

Hermione scrambled out of bed and pulled on her jeans from yesterday. (All her belongings, including Crookshanks, were to be delivered later that day)

"What do I have to do to get ready for a ball nine hours early?" Hermione grumbled as Kellie went around the room, opening the windows to let fresh air in.

"First your mother is taking you to the designers to get your gown. Then you'll have a few hours in beauty therapy, then a few hours by yourself. It's all in good fun, miss"

"Call me Hermione" Hermione followed her maid out of the room and back down to the ground floor. They walked quickly through the main room and through a side door into a classical dining room with a long mahogany table with eight, high backed chairs up each side and one chair on each end. A potted fern stood in each corner and the walls were covered in gold-framed pictures of past kings, queens, princes and princesses.

"What would you like for breakfast?" Kellie asked, snapping Hermione out of her trance.

"Uh…Cornflakes or something. Surprise me"

Kellie, shaking her head, left the room via a different door, leaving Hermione quite alone.

Hermione examined each picture carefully and found that all the occupants had similar features; brown hair, brown eyes and a well rounded face. There was a baby photo about halfway along the left wall and Hermione realised, with much shock, that it was she.

"Here you are, Princess, Cornflakes with a side of bacon and orange juice.

"Call me Hermione" Hermione said again, sitting down at one end of the table to eat.

It only took five minutes to finish breakfast and she was rearing to go again.

"You're wearing that?" Her mother exclaimed when they met her by the cars.

"What's wrong with it?" Hermione asked, looking down at what she thought was a good outfit. They were expensive jeans and she didn't see the problem.

"Never mind. In your car, Gail is waiting for us."

They rode through the countryside for some time until they reached the small city of Kirkwall. There they drove down the main street very slowly. People on the street pointed and began chasing the cars, waving wildly.

"The princess has returned! The princess has returned!" some of the closer people yelled.

The car pulled up outside a fancy, nine story building and Hermione exited the car.

The people of the city screamed for her attention from behind police barriers as Charlie shunted her into the building.

They were in a highly rated department store. Hermione examined a red dress closest to her while she waited for her mother to greet the people outside. When Clarisse and her bodyguard, Sam, joined them they walked towards the back of the store where a classy looking lady met them.

"Ah Clarisse" she said in a snotty, uptight voice, kissing Hermione's mother on each cheek. This woman (Gail, Hermione soon found out) had put such an emphasized exaggeration in her words that Hermione had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.

"And where is this dearly awaited Princess of ours?" she asked, completely overlooking Hermione in her casual street wear. Clarisse cleared her voice and Charlie gave Hermione a little nudge forward.

"This is my daughter, Hermione"

"Oh" Gail crossed one arm and raised the other to touch her own cheek. She looked Hermione up and down as if she was some like of hideous creature that had just crawled out of a sewer. "Well…let's get this done then!" Gail then proceeded to lead Hermione and Clarisse to the third floor where there was a large workshop set up.

"Pick a colour and style, dear" Clarisse said, gesturing to a wall lined with countless types and colours of materials. Hermione moved along them slowly, running her hand over each one.

Gail and Her mother were conversing with a few girls that worked with Gail and would be making Hermione's dress.

Hermione finally decided on some silvery-white silk and one of the girls ran off to get a roll of it. Hermione then decided on a slim dress design that fanned out across the floor and had simple spaghetti straps.

Then she had to stand on a stool for almost two hours while the girls and Gail set about making her dress.

"We must get back to do Hermione's hair" Clarisse said finally, with a sharp glance at the wall clock.

"Of course" Gail exclaimed, standing back to admire her work. "I shall deliver the dress to you promptly this afternoon."

Hermione, feet and legs aching, stepped gratefully off the stool and walked briskly back to the car without so much as a backwards glance.

The people were still hanging around outside and Hermione had to stick close to Charlie to get through the seething mob. One girl managed to get close enough to touch Hermione and she screamed.

"Hey, shove off!" Hermione shouted angrily. The girl froze and backed away quickly. As did a few others who had heard the comment.

Hermione didn't bother to apologise.

Back at the Palace, Hermione found a man who called himself Joe De Nora waiting in one of the downstairs parlours. He had a whole beauty centre set up there complete with Blonde helpers who wasted no time in sitting Hermione down and starting on her nails.

"So, my dear" Joe said, running his skilled hands over her messy hair. "What style were you looking for?"

"Erm" Hermione looked down at her left hand where the taller blonde was filing vigorously at her bitten nails. "I…don't know"

"Aye!" Joe said in frustration. "I shall choose one for you. Sit back and relax. I am going to make you beautiful!"

Hermione left the parlour many hours later with her hair in riveting waves, much like her mothers hair, with two small braids on each side, pinned together at the back of her head with a silver clip. Her toe and fingernails were now nicely rounded with a white French tip. Her eyebrows had been plucked to perfection and her eyelashes had been tinted black with temporary silver tips.

Despite her tiredness and aggravation, Hermione was feeling attractively beautiful and once again she thought gleefully of what Malfoy's face might look like when he saw her; Not just a mudblood from the slums of London but a pureblood princess in line for an island country!

Hermione made her way slowly back to her room, careful to keep out of the way of the staff, hurriedly setting up for the ball.

When she reached her room she found that her old belongings, clothes, books, et cetera, had arrived.

Crookshanks was curled up on her bed and he barely opened an eye when she flopped down beside him.

"I think this princess business is to much for me, Crookshanks," she told her orange fluff ball of a cat. He yowled at her then went back to sleep. Hermione wasn't far behind him.

"Wake up, Princess! We are very late, you must get ready!" Kellie roused Hermione by shaking her unceremoniously into consciousness. Hermione sat up and groggily rubbed her now messy hair. It was dark outside but the spectacular lighting from the garden made Hermione do a double take.

Gail, Joe, and their assistants were waiting for Hermione to wake and were quickly setting up the things they would need to neaten her up.

"In the bath, Princess" Kellie said, shunting Hermione towards the bathroom door where a steaming hot bath, scented with lavender and rose oil.

Hermione slid gratefully into the bubbles but was only given five minutes of pleasure before Kellie came barging in, brandishing a strapless silicon bra and a pair of fancy white underwear.

"You want to look nice in case anyone sees" Kellie informed her before rushing her back into the bedroom where Gail and her assistants fitted her into her dress.

Hermione was starting to feel nervous as Joe sat her down to re-do her hair. She could hear people talking, laughing and listening to a classical band playing downstairs in the main room.

"Put these on her" Gail shouted to her youngest assistant who hurried forward to put some strappy heels on her feet. They were only small heels and Gail explained that she needed to look tall, but not taller than the males. They would be instantly turned off by her height.

Joe's two blondes zoned in on either side of her to apply some blush and a shade of silver glitter to her eyelids.

"Ok, lets go!" Joe stood her up and pushed her towards the door. Hermione took one step and stumbled on her heels.

"I don't know how to…"

"Just go, they are waiting!"

The moment Hermione was forced from the room she found herself quite alone until she reached the banister. Her father was waiting for her and he offered his arm to her with a kind smile.

"Presenting to you, for the first time…" an announcer at the bottom of the stairs started. Alfred led Hermione into view of the large group of people, watching from the ground floor. "Hermione Clarisse Anne Granger, Princess of Orkney Island!"

Hermione, led by her father, walked slowly down the stairs, trying hard to keep a smile on her face as she glanced around at the politely clapping crowd. What she saw next made her stumble slightly and she had to grab the guardrail. Draco Malfoy was standing between two excruciatingly beautiful girls, staring at Hermione in shock-horror. Slowly his mouth opened and silently formed the word, '_Granger_?'

Alfred and Hermione met Clarisse at the bottom of the stairs and, on her mother's orders, Hermione gave a clumsy curtsy. Everyone continued to clap until Alfred raised one hand to silence the crowd.

"Dinner shall be served in ten minutes, until then, let us continue to enjoy this wonderful music!"

Straight away people turned to their neighbours to comment on the new Princess.

Now out of the limelight, Hermione relaxed a little as her mother took her around and introduced her to some of the older men.

"This is sir Winfred Gustomy, Baron of Luxembourg" her mother introduced her to a fat man with a droopy moustache.

"It's an honour to finally meet you, Princess," he said in a low, drooling voice.

"Charmed" Hermione said as he kissed her hand. She glanced longingly at a group of young people, laughing and dancing by the stage where the band was playing. Malfoy was amongst them and he was watching her over the rim of his champagne glass. His lips curled into a smirk when he noticed her watching and he winked.

Hermione turned away, blushing slightly as Clarisse led her on and introduced her to the duke of Zambia.

"Dinner is served!" the head chef announced as the double doors to the dining hall opened.

The guests filed slowly into the hall and began seating themselves around the magically enlarged table.

Clarisse and Alfred sat at each end of the table and Hermione sat about halfway along between Prince Frederick of Romania and Duchess Marigold of Austria. Marigold looked to be between thirty and forty while Frederick was only between eighteen and twenty-one.

Draco Malfoy entered the hall last and sat down opposite Hermione, still carrying the smirk on his face.

Hermione tried to ignore his piercing gaze by striking up a conversation with Frederick. Lucky for her, he seemed interested enough and was soon talking completely about himself.

Hermione found out that he was nineteen and was under a lot of pressure of late to find a wife before he turned twenty-one.

The four-course meal was absolutely delicious and when it was finished the guests went back to the main room, speaking highly of the chef and the residential family.

The band struck a nice waltzing tune and people began getting together to dance. Kellie had told Hermione earlier that she had to dance with everyone. Hermione now found herself standing at one side of the room by herself, biting her lip and watching Malfoy conversing with the young people again.

"That's Draco Malfoy" her mother came and stood beside her. "I noticed you watching him earlier. Would you like to meet him?"

"Uh…no" but it was too late. Her mother was already striding across the room to Hermione's blonde enemy.

"Master Draco!" Clarisse said as Malfoy turned to face her with a graceful bow.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Majesty"

"And you. Have you met my daughter, Hermione? Hermione, Draco is all set to succeed his father and become Monarch of Denmark"

Hermione's jaw dropped. All these years of thinking that Malfoy had been making up his whole family history about his family being a powerful influence on the magical world had proven wrong! In fact the blonde ferret boy had been modest! He owned a bloody country!

"Nice to meet you, Princess" Malfoy said gently, his eyes glinting maliciously towards Hermione. "Would you like to dance?"

"Uh" Hermione looked at her mother who smiled and walked away.

"Don't tell me you don't know how, Granger," He said even more quietly, passing his champagne glass to a waiter. Hermione blushed and he laughed.

"Come, I'll teach you" he took a surprisingly gentle hold on her wrist and led her out to the middle of the room where everyone else was dancing.

"Well, well, well, Granger. This is a step up in the world for you, isn't it?" he asked leading her into a waltz.

"That's princess to you, _Malfoy_" she replied, smugly and he laughed again.

"Your not a princess yet, Granger. Look at you, you can't dance, you don't know how to socialize and word on the street is that your already being a bitch to the locals. You are simply called princess for hereditary purposes. You need to earn the title first. Left foot back."

Hermione frowned.

"You know my mother. Why didn't you say something about this at school?"

Malfoy shrugged.

"I thought it simply a coincidence that you have the same last name as the king and queen of Orkney."

"May I cut in?" Frederick tapped on Malfoy's shoulder and the blonde walked away immediately. Hermione, for the first time in her life, didn't want him to leave. She didn't know how to dance and she proved this straight away by stepping on Frederick's foot.

As the night wore on at an agonisingly slow pace, Hermione danced with pretty much every male in the room. She got slightly better at her waltzing, but not by much.

Finally she was able to excuse herself for a break and went to lean on the wall outside the dining room. She was shocked to hear voices from within and was even more shocked when she realised it was her Mother and father, her old mother and father and one completely unrecognisable voice. And they were talking about her!

"…She's no princess!" her mother said angrily. "Did you see the way she was dancing? How she spoke to the locals, and the nobles? And not to mention the way she eats; mouth open, no knife and fork…you were supposed to give her lessons!"

"She didn't want to take them!" Jane argued. "We weren't about to make her do things she didn't want to. We just let her be a normal teenager!"

"You know that there is a vote this year, after Yule, to decide whether to keep her as a princess." The stranger was speaking now. "And if the Nobles don't like her then she gets the kick but if the locals don't like her…"

"Our whole family is sent into exile," Alfred said quietly.  
"She needs to know how to dance, eat, walk, talk and act like a princess before Christmas time or you can say goodbye to your throne. And do you know who gets it? The Gustomy's. Do you really want them ruling your country?"

"Should we tell her?" Alfred asked.

"No. We told her she has five years to work herself out. We can't go back on our word or she might do a runner. I guess we'll have to simply hope for the best…"

It was now that Hermione realised her jaw was hanging open. Her family, the old and new, exited the dining room followed by a tall black man who led Jane and Tom from the room via another door.

"Would everyone like to join us for tea in the lounge?" Clarisse announced before walking over to Hermione.

"Dear, your father and I will now have tea with the other nobles to discuss political matters. There has been a gazebo set up in the gardens with a modern band for the youngsters. Your welcome to join them, if you please."

Hermione nodded dumbly and made a beeline for the entrance hall doors. Other teenage nobles were wandering out that way as well and down to a large tent set up in an open area amongst the hedges and gardens.

Hermione stood awkwardly by a small refreshment table with her second glass of Champagne, watching a few girls dancing and flirting with a group of boys. They all knew each other from other functions such as this and they payed Hermione not the slightest bit of attention, despite the fact that this was her party. Hermione suddenly wished she was curled up in her little bed in her little room back in harmless London where she could comment on the Royals with her friends without the slightest problem.

"Hey Princess, great party!" the two girls that had been with Malfoy earlier had come striding over to stand either side of her.

"Uh…Thanks" Hermione mumbled. The girls introduced themselves as Lilly and Jamie-Lyn, helped themselves to some drinks and the three of them stood, watching another group of boys talking loudly by a fountain. Malfoy was amongst them.

"My mother wants me to marry that Draco Malfoy" Lilly said.

"I don't blame her. I'd marry him any day!" Jamie-Lyn voiced with a little giggle. Hermione wrinkled her nose

"Why would you want to marry Malfoy?"

The girls looked at her as if she'd just come from some strange planet.

"Because" Lilly said, speaking if talking to a child. "He's the perfect gentleman, he's rich and extremely powerful."

"And not to mention cute!"

The girls giggled and walked away, leaving Hermione alone once again.

Hermione decided to circulate and thank a few of the kinder looking people for coming.

She was walking behind a blonde girl chatting to Malfoy when she over heard their conversation.

"I would really love it if you came to my family's garden party next month, Draco" she simpered. Hermione screwed up her face and silently mimicked what the girl had just said. Malfoy saw this and snorted with laughter. The girl whipped around, only to find Hermione standing there with an innocent smile on her face.

"More champagne?" she asked, handing the girl a glass before taking a hue gulp of her own.  
"So anyway" the girl turned back to Malfoy. "What do you say, can I put you on the list?"

"Sorry, Mandy" he smiled sweetly. "But I'll be at school then. Did you know that the Princess and I go to the same school?"

_I bet you want the goodies.  
Bet you thought about it.  
Got you all hot and bothered.  
Mayb' cuz I talk about it.  
Lookin for the goodies   
Keep on lookin' cuz they stay in the jar  
Oh-oh Oh-oh Oh-oh Oh-oh_

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	3. dont call me princess!

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

NOTE: this story was written before the sixth book came out so you'll just have to ignore everything that doesn't seem to fit. Enjoy!

Chapter three 

As it got deeper into the night, Hermione found herself talking to more and more people. She wasn't sure if it was the five glasses of champagne but she was defiantly feeling more confident.

It was probably just after midnight when she found herself in a corner of the garden, talking to a group of young males.

Malfoy, unaware to the drunken Hermione, had been watching the princess all night and had become quite intrigued by her current position. The boys she was with were quite harmless but they were pressing in tightly around her, making escape quite impossible. Hermione's dress had fallen off the shoulder, giving the elder of the group a good view of her cleavage. The boy nodded to one of the other boys standing behind Hermione and he gave her a gentle nudge.

Hermione tripped forward into the elder and he caught her, pressing one of his hands, 'accidentally', against her breast.

"Are you ok, princess?" he asked, giving it a gentle squeeze before setting her back on her feet. The group around her tightened and Malfoy realised it was time to step in.

He strode over to them, cool as hell, and pulled the closest boy away. When the boy saw who it was he tapped his neighbour and slowly the whole group parted, leaving Malfoy a clear view of Hermione and her abuser.

"You better back off, Nigel" Malfoy said calmly. "I don't think that's the way to treat a Princess."

"I was just…"

Malfoy raised an eyebrow and the boy backed away quickly.

"Sorry, Draco, it wont happen again."

Malfoy linked his arm through Hermione's and led her away.

"C'mon, Granger. I think it's time you went to bed."

"You can't tell me what to do!" she said shrilly, earning herself a strange look from a few girls.

"Shut up! You're making a fool of yourself!" he took her back to the main room where the elder nobles were sharing a quite dance.

"Excuse me" Malfoy said to a waiter who was cleaning up. "Could you go and get the Princess' maid for me?"

While they waited for Kellie to arrive Hermione practically fell asleep on Malfoy's chest.

"What happened?" Kellie asked, hurrying out of the dining room and over to her charge.

"She had to much to drink" Malfoy explained. Hermione pushed herself away from him and attempted to stand on her own two feet.

"I did not drink to much I just-"

Malfoy caught her before she fell sideways into a duke.

"Dear me" Kellie clucked, shaking her head vigorously. "Hand her over. I'll take her to bed before her mother sees her like this."

Hermione spent the next week exploring the castle. Her mother had found out about her drinking and had banned her from leaving the castle grounds. Hermione didn't mind though, she was content to simply hang around the library, or laze by the pool. She wrote to Harry and Ron, telling them her news. Harry already knew about it, having read the muggle newspaper, and was extremely happy for her though Hermione suspected that it was because he would be out of the lime light for once in his life. Everyone would be talking about Princess Hermione Granger, the muggle born from London who turned out to be royalty and not Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived and had saved everyone's Asses from Voldemort's destruction.

When September first rolled around Hermione was having mixed emotions. She was happy to be returning to school, nervous about what people would say and excited to see her friends again.

She got up early in the morning to find her bag packed and waiting by the door. She had a nice hot shower and got Kellie to do her hair in a ponytail that looked casual but elegant at the same time. She dressed in her jeans and a tank top, had a quick breakfast of bacon and eggs on toast before getting on the jet with her father.

"Your mother sends her best wishes." Alfred said as they zoomed across the land of England towards London. "She couldn't make it today because she was having a meeting with her advisor."

"That's ok. I don't think she likes me much anyway." Hermione said quietly, though her father heard.

"Your mother loves you, Hermione. She's just getting used to having a daughter in the house."

"I heard you talking that night, you know, about the vote and how I'm not a decent princess."

"It doesn't matter to us, Hermione" Alfred took her hand in his. "You're our daughter and as long as you don't come home pregnant that's all that matters."

"We've arrived in London" Charlie poked his head around the curtain and grinned at Hermione. They had bonded well over the week and he was the only one, apart from her parents, that called her by her first name.

The plane landed and Hermione entered the city. It had only been a week but it seemed so long ago that she was boarding this same plane, terrified out of her mind at what might happen.

People were lined up along the fence of the airport, screaming Hermione's name.

Charlie put a huge arm across Hermione's shoulder and led her through the crowd to a waiting Limo.

"Hermione, oh my god! Hermione!" Mel was waving to her from behind a barrier. She was wearing a blue polo shirt and a checkered skirt; her public school's uniform.

"Let her in" Hermione muttered to Charlie who walked obediently over to Mel and helped her over the barrier. Mel screamed and ran at Hermione. They embraced, laughing loudly before Alfred called them into the car.

"We'll drop you off at school." Hermione said as the white car pulled onto the street.

"Why didn't you tell me you were a princess?" Mel screeched, grabbing Hermione's hands and squeezing them. Alfred smiled from right over the other side of the car.

"I didn't know! Honest! I found out when I got home that day then they came and kidnapped me!" she jerked a thumb at Charlie and Troy.

Both men laughed as they pulled up outside Mel's school.

About fifty teenage girls ran over screaming as Hermione got out to give Mel a hug.

"Make sure you don't forget about me" Mel said, giving Hermione another squeeze. "I'm still your friend, even though you're all high and mighty!"

Hermione waved out the back window of the limo until the high school was out of sight.

The muggles at the train station weren't as wild as the last two crowds Hermione had seen. They whispered to each other and pointing but no one came up to her.

She had to wait a long time for people to stop staring so she could slip though the barrier. When she did she found the tension on the platform almost unbearable. People were staring at her reproachfully and no one spoke to her. She said a quick goodbye to her father, Troy and Charlie before lugging her trunk and Crookshanks' cage onto the train.

Harry and Ron were waiting for her in an empty compartment and when she entered they stood up clumsily, blushing deeply.

"H-Hello, Hermione" Harry said. Ron didn't know what to do. Finally he bowed.

"Oh sit down," Hermione said gruffly, plonking into a seat opposite them just as the train took off.

"So hows the high life?" Harry asked, grinning because he already knew. Ron continued to blush and fidget with a hole in his faded muggle shirt.

"Not as high as I expected" she glanced out the window as the city disappeared then at Ron who blushed even harder under her eyes.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked crossly. She hated when he got like this around her.

"N-nothing" he stammered.

"You look nice, Herm." Harry took the liberty of shortening her name. As much as she hated this, she found it quite reassuring. Harry hadn't changed at all. "New hair or something?"

It was Hermione's turn to blush.

"Oh hello Her-Princess" Parvati and Lavender had just stumbled into the compartment and Parvati didn't know how to address her roommate.

"Don't call me that," Hermione growled.

"No need to be modest, Hermione" Harry laughed as she clenched her fist. This was becoming extremely irritating.

"I'm not. I just hate being called that and I hate how everyone is avoiding me! I HAVEN'T CHANGED!" she got up and stormed out.

Two carriages down someone reached out and pulled her into their compartment.

Draco Malfoy.

"Jeez, what's up with you?" he asked, pushing her down and sitting opposite.

"I'm sick of being called princess."

"It's all a bit fake, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well you know that you're not a princess. What made you realise? Surly it wasn't me."

Hermione heaved a sigh and looked out the window. She couldn't believe she was actually having a civilized conversation with a Malfoy. He tilted his head so he caught her eye and she turned to face him.

"Are you going to tell me, Granger, or not?"

She sighed again then told him about the conversation she had over heard at her 'coming out' party.

"Ouch" he said when she had finished. "Well…if there's anything I can do…"

They stood up as Hermione prepared to leave. She got a sudden brainwave.

"Maybe there is!" she looked at him excitedly and he raised an eyebrow, a gesture for her to continue. "You can teach me! You can teach me how to be a princess! You rule a country, the girls respect you heaps. You can show me how to be like one of them!"

He simply stared at her and her eager smile slowly faded. "For-forget it," she said, turning towards the door, blushing furiously. "I shouldn't have asked. I was stupid. Of course you wouldn't help me. You'd rather see me suffer…"

"Hey, hey, hey! Slow down a minute, Granger!" he grabbed her arm and jerked her roughly back into the compartment. "I didn't say anything. I'll help you. When you suffer I prefer it to be at my hands."

She gasped. "Oh my god, thank you!" she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him for a second before realising what she was doing and pulling away, deeply embarrassed. Malfoy didn't seem to have minded all that much.

"When do we start?"

"What do you need to learn?"

"_Everything_!" she emphasised.

"Right-o" he thought for a moment before continuing. "When some one calls you princess, just ignore it. They'll soon realise that you're still the same, snotty little Gryffindor that you always were and forget about the royalty thing."

"Gee thanks," she said sarcastically, though his information did make sense.

She soon returned to her compartment where only Harry was left waiting for her.

"I'm really sorry, Hermione" he said sombrely "I was only stirring you, I didn't mean to get you upset."

"I'm over it. I just don't like being called princess, ok?"

"Ok"

The rest of the train trip passed by quietly and when the Hogwarts students finally filed into the great hall Hermione was feeling like her old self again.

A few people would back away from her, blushing. The Slytherin girls were laughing from across the hall and taunting her but Harry told her to ignore it and she soon found that when she did ignore it, there was more people in the hall treating her like her old self than people treating her different.

The sorting was the same as always, though there seemed to be fewer students then usual. Dumbledore made his welcoming speech, introducing the new defence against the dark arts teacher, Professor Lilly Harpin and he even put in a snide remark about Hermione, that only she got, and it left her giggling feebly into her hands.

The feast was as extravagant as always and Hermione was feeling full and content when she, Parvati and Lavender climbed the staircase to the girls' dorm.

"So tell us, Hermione" Parvati said. (Wow, Draco really did know what he was doing!) "I saw a picture of your castle in witch weekly. Is it really that big?"

Hermione nodded as she began unpacking her belongings.

Parvati and Lavender looked at each other in excitement.

"You guys can come and visit over Christmas" Hermione offered. She'd never really been close to these two girls and she took this opportunity to stretch their friendship further.

"Really!" Lavender squealed, jumping up and down, clapping her hands.

"Oh my god, did you girls see the new hair styles in Teen witch tomorrow?" Parvati asked, spinning around and grabbing the subjected magazine from her bed and flipping through it.

"My stylist did that one on me for my ball" Hermione informed them, pointing at a picture that showed a blonde girl dancing on the beach, showing off her beautiful new Hair-doo.

Lavender's jaw dropped. "You have your own stylist? That is so awesome!"

Maybe being a princess wouldn't be so bad after all.

_All the, small things  
True care, truth brings  
I'll take, one lift   
your ride, best trip  
Always, I know  
you'll be at my show   
Watching, waiting, commiserating_

I am a shameless review whore so please review. For my sanity?


	4. wonderful princess lessons

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter four 

Two weeks after returning to school, Hermione found herself being approached by Malfoy in the library.

"Are we going to start lessons?" she asked eagerly as he sat down opposite her and pulled a textbook towards him.

"Huh? Oh yeah, sure. Meet me in the charms classroom tonight at eight. I'll teach you to dance. Now… what's the main ingredient of a Love potion? I wouldn't usually ask except Snape wants that essay tomorrow."

"Cupid's dust" Hermione pointed to a spot in his book and he began scribbling notes in a little black notebook. "The more you put in, the stronger it becomes."

That night, at fifteen minutes to eight, Hermione excused herself from the Quidditch conversation the boys were having and set off at a leisurely pace towards the empty charms classroom.

Malfoy arrived five minutes later, twirling his wand between his fingers.

"Ready?" he asked, wasting no time in starting. He flicked his wand and some kind of heavenly music filled the air. He stepped towards her and bowed.

"It's polite to curtsy. Keep eye contact while your doing it." Hermione dipped her knees and almost fell over.

"Wow, you really are crap at this, aren't you?" he smirked, catching her by the wrist and placing her hand appropriately on his shoulder.

"Three steps back…now turn. I always thought it was odd that islanders send their daughters off into the muggle world. Right foot forward. I mean, they don't send their sons, do they?"

"Why not?" Hermione frowned slightly as she miss placed her foot again. Malfoy's skin was warm against hers and she was becoming easily distracted. It wasn't that she was attracted to the guy. It was merely the fact that he was male. This was how males were meant to act. She didn't get to see this kind of behaviour when hanging around Harry and Ron.

"Kings and Princes are born to grow up as leaders. The women are the ones who have to woo the commoners…RIGHT foot, Granger! Jeez, your worse at this than you are when your drunk!"

Every night for the next few weeks Hermione and Malfoy met in the charms classroom. As time wore on, Hermione got used to working with the blonde boy she had despised so much and they began to bond.

She soon found out that it was Malfoy's mother, not his father, who owned Denmark. Lucius was simply there though marriage purposes.

On the thirtieth of October Hermione was once again in the charms room with Malfoy.

"Shake those hips, Granger! Where's the sex appeal?"

"Oh shut up," she muttered, strutting down a row of desks. For the past few nights Malfoy had been teaching Hermione how to walk. This had been the most difficult part so far.

"Can you walk in heels?" he asked, watching with an amused expression from the teacher's desk.

"I doubt it." Hermione grumbled as she tripped over a desk.

"Oh come on, sweetheart! Smile! Princess' are nice, loving people."

"How are you so nice to all those rich snobs?" Hermione tripped again.

"I tolerate them by releasing anger on the idiots that go to this school. Mainly Potter and Weasley of course, but it keeps me satisfied." He watched Hermione for a few minutes longer in silence before declaring his intention to leave.

"I noticed Patil wears heels around school. Why don't you see if she'll give you some pointers?"

"Yeah, ok" Hermione picked up her bag and peered out the door to make sure the coast was clear. Neither she nor Draco had told anyone about their lessons. For some reason they preferred to keep it a secret.

Back in the Gryffindor girls' dormitories Hermione went straight up to Parvati and asked her to teach her how to walk in heels. Parvati accepted straight away and for the rest of the night they practiced. By morning Hermione had it mastered and she wondered why she didn't go to Parvati first.

Gryffindor had a double of potions first up on the morning of Halloween and Hermione tagged along behind Harry and Ron without a care in the world.

She seated herself between Parvati and Lavender and unpacked her belongings quietly.

"Today we are making love potions" Snape said, striding down the classroom and tapping the black board. A list of ingredients and instructions came up and the class hurriedly copied them down.

"Everyone finished? Now I'm going to put you into pairs of the opposite sex. Weasley and Bulstrode, Potter and Patil, Longbottom and Parkinson, Zabini and Brown, Malfoy and Granger…"

Hermione picked her things up and moved over to Malfoy's desk. Harry and Ron were giving her sympathetic looks from across the room and Lavender was giving her one of jealousy. It was a common fact that Lavender and Parvati liked Malfoy because of his good looks. Hermione smiled at the boys and shook her head as if to say; I'm fine. Don't worry about it.

Malfoy didn't notice. He was to busy throwing spit balls at Weasley.

"So Granger" he started when Snape finally told him to stop and took five points from Ron. "Have you learnt the heels?"

"Yes. Pav is a way better teacher than you."

"To bad." Malfoy shrugged, watching as Hermione began slicing onion roots. "I always thought you fancied guys. But if it's Patil you want…"

"Just shut up and help, would you?"

It was a pleasant lesson. One of the more pleasant potion classes Hermione had been to in a while. Being partnered with Malfoy had its befits. For starters, Snape didn't seek trouble in Malfoy so he left the pair of them alone to harass other Gryffindors and the conversations between them were more intimate. Harry and Ron talked about Quidditch while Malfoy would talk about more mature, slightly bolder things that left Hermione tingling after she answered them.

"Everybody finished?" Snape swept around the class one last time before retiring to his desk. "Please put a spoonful of potion into a flask and bring it to my desk. When everyone has done that you will be able to test it."

Hermione gave Malfoy the honour of taking the flask up to the teacher's desk while she ladled two spoonfuls into two cups.

"Now everyone face your partner." Snape instructed when everyone was sitting down again. "Keep eye contact while you drink then count to five. The potion should take effect by then."

Hermione and Malfoy turned to face each other and Malfoy winked.

Hermione drank the hot pink potion down in two gulps and counted to five. She suddenly felt light headed and tingly. She looked at Malfoy. She wanted to touch him, hold him and kiss him. Instead she laughed.

He raised a hand and stroked her arm resting on the desk.

"That tickles!" she giggled feebly and he laughed loudly.

"This potion is fun," he whispered, leaning in close to her.

There was a loud crash behind them as Neville threw Pansy across the table and absorbed her in a passionate French kiss.

Everyone in the class laughed as Snape blasted them apart with his wand. The main effect of the potion began wearing off so by the end of the lesson Hermione only felt a little desire to be with Malfoy.

"I suggest you avoid each other for the rest of the day" Snape called as the class filed out. "The potions wont completely wear off until sometime early tomorrow morning."

Hermione didn't need to avoid Malfoy even if she wanted to. They had no classes together and the next time she saw him was at the feast that night.

She was sitting between Neville and Ron, picking lazily at her food when Malfoy caught her eye from across the room. He smirked and held up his knife and fork, indicating that she should use hers. She rolled her eyes and picked them up.

"What's going on between you and Malfoy, Hermione?" Ron quizzed latter on in the Gryffindor common room.

"What do you mean?" the party was just getting underway and someone had forced a bottle of firewhisky into her hand. She took a sip and felt her eyes go slightly cross-eyed as the hot substance burnt a hole in her stomach.

"Well you're never mean to him anymore. I see you sometimes looking at him from across the room and today you didn't object at all about being his partner and you were laughing together!"

"There's nothing going on, Ron" she drained the bottle and stood up, swaying slightly to get another.

"You can tell me, Herm, are you guys having sex?"

"What? No! Malfoy's changed, that's all… he's gotten more mature, which is more I can say for you!" she took a swig of her new drink and turned away. "Sex indeed!"

"I think you've had enough, Hermione" Harry strolled over and tried to pluck to bottle from her hand. "You've already had three…your smashed!"

"Oh piss off, Harry!" she said rather loudly, swinging away from him and towards the portrait hole. "Your not my bloody father!"

For a while Hermione simply wandered along the empty corridors, drinking her firewhisky and humming quietly. She soon found herself outside the charms classroom. She suddenly remembered that she was supposed to meet Malfoy but he wasn't there. He was swaggering along the corridor towards her, running into walls and knocking over statues.

"Am I late?" he asked when he finally reached her.

"Nah…I just got here, too"

"I don't wanna use the charms room tonight" Malfoy flung his arm across her shoulders and they both staggered sideways into the wall.

"Lets go to that empty room in the next corridor. It's bigger and there's only one desk."

"Ok"

They found the suggested classroom and went inside. Neither of them lit the candles. Neither of them remembered how. Malfoy cued the heavenly music but instead of waltzing, Hermione simply let herself fall against him in a swaying embrace.

"You know" Malfoy mused as they swayed back and forth to the music. "I've actually had a lot of fun this year." He let his hands slide slowly down her body so they came to a rest on her lower back.

"I have as well. Who knew you could actually be a decent guy?" she pulled her head from his chest and looked into the silver pools of mercury that were his eyes.

"Do think the potion is still working?" she whispered as he moved his face closer to hers.

"Who cares?"

He kissed her.

I've tried to go on like I never knew you  
I'm awake but my world is half asleep  
I pray for this heart to be unbroken  
But without you all I'm going to be is incomplete

please review


	5. what boys will do for a pretty face

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter five 

She couldn't believe it. She'd had sex with Malfoy. Draco Malfoy! Her most arched of all nemeses and she'd just had sex with him!

She hadn't remembered much. One moment she's share a sweetly divine kiss with him, the next moment he had her pressed up against the singular desk in a sexual embrace. They were both naked and sweaty and Hermione could just remember her fingers digging into his back.

There had been no awkward after moment. Filch had come along just as they were getting dressed and both of them had to make a wild dash for their dormitories.

Hermione had passed out on top of her bed, completely exhausted from all the night's events, and didn't wake until very late the next morning, convinced that the night before had been a dream.

For the next month and a bit Hermione and Malfoy ignored each other. They stopped their lessons and when they did speak it was abrupt.

It didn't matter though, Hermione felt pretty confident that all her princess skills were down packed and when she was getting on her plane home for Christmas she felt completely relaxed, though maybe a little headachy.

"How was school, dear?" her mother asked when she returned home. Clarisse looked a little panicky when she noticed Hermione still wearing jeans and a boob tube. Hermione planned to surprise them on the night of the Yule ball.

"Fine…same as usual I guess…" Hermione wondered suddenly whether her mother knew that she and Malfoy went to the same school.

"That's nice. Oh, there's a little surprise in your room…just to welcome you back"

"I'll go up now." Wondering what it could be, Hermione collected Crookshanks under her arm and ran up the stairs. She had to stop at the top as a wave of nausea hit her but it was gone quicker than it had come so she thought nothing of it and opened her bedroom door. A high-pitched scream came from within and before Hermione had time to register she was pounced on by a girl with messy blonde hair.

"Mel?" Hermione pushed her friend off and grinned. "What are you doing here?"

"Your father flew me in this morning" she replied breathlessly. "Of course I had to stay in here all day but… god your room is MASSIVE!"

"How long are you here for?"

"Jeez Herm, don't sound so excited. I'm here until Boxing Day. I'm staying for your Yule ball. Great huh?"

"Yeah" Hermione frowned and let Crookshanks drop to the floor.

"What's up?"

"Nothing. I just felt a little dizzy. It's gone now. You want to go swimming? The pools heated."

Mel clapped her hands and jumped over to the duffle bag containing her clothes.

Kellie came in at that moment, carrying a basket of fresh laundry.

"Welcome back, miss!" she said, dipping her head fashionably.

"Hi, Kellie. We're going out for a swim and a sunbathe, ok?"

Kellie looked at the triangle bikini's Mel was holding, and then at the matching ones that Hermione had.

"You can't wear those!"

"What, to revealing?" Mel asked with a startled glance at Hermione.

"Not revealing enough! You don't want white lines on your shoulders for tomorrows ball, do you? Wait right here" she hurried out again, leaving Hermione and Mel looking completely mystified. Kellie returned moments later holding two matching white bikinis with strapless tops.

"Neat" Mel nodded in approval. The girls got changed and ran down to the pool where the garden surrounding it was kept clear of snow by underground heaters.

Hermione dived in first while Mel took her time, stepping in inch by inch.

"I have to savour it while I can" Mel informed Hermione when she finally got fully in. "I wont know how long it will be until I get to swim in a princess' pool again!"

Hermione retired to bed early that night. Despite the snow, she'd gotten a nice brown tan and a headache from the chlorine.

The next morning, Christmas morning, she was woken by Kellie at eight thirty.

There was a stack of presents waiting at the end of her bed and she began opening them at a rapid pace, wondering if Mel was doing the same in the guest room next door. She got the usual stuff from Harry and Ron; mainly books. Jane and Tom sent her some new clothes and a portable CD player. She was just about to open the present from her real parents; a tiny little box that was probably jewellery, when Mel came flying in, waving a set of keys.

"Your parents got me a car! YOUR PARENTS GOT ME A CAR!"

"WHAT?" Hermione tore open the box in her lap and a set of keys and a photo fell out. Hermione picked up the photo and saw a tiny yellow convertible, perfect for a teenage girl, parked on the lawn.

"Mine's blue" Mel thrust her picture at Hermione. "I also got a note saying that it's waiting for me back in London."

"Get dressed, Girls" Kellie came back into the room with a plate of fruit and a vacuum cleaner. "You have to go and get your gowns."

Clarisse was busy that day, setting up decorations for that night so she sent Hermione and Mel down to Gail's store by themselves.

In the Limo on the way down town, Hermione explained to Mel and Charlie how she planned to surprise her parents, and everyone else, that night with her new princess skills.

"Morning Gail!" she said confidently, striding into the store. "I bought a friend with me, will you be able to do two dresses by tonight?"

"Of course darling!" Gail replied, leading the girls up to the designer's floor.

"Ok. I'll have the strapless Red one with Black heels about…an inch. You remember my size from last time?"

"How could I forget?"

"And I'm having this one." Mel said a little more shyly than Hermione and pointed at baby pink, off the shoulder dress. "I'm half a size smaller and you'd better make my heels an inch and a half."

Now that the gowns were finalised, Hermione was ready to put her plan into action: wooing the Locals.

The locals seemed a little weary of Hermione but when she began showing kindness by saying hello to everyone and even buying a gourmet meal for a little homeless girl they began swarming her, asking for autographs and such. They were even asking Mel for hers! Eventually Charlie had to pull both girls out of the mosh pit because they were late for their appointment with Joe.

"That was fun! My hand has never been so sore!" Mel gasped, rubbing her wrists as they drove back to the castle. The trees and bushes outside had been decorated with fairy lights and some technical men were testing them out.

"Hello my dear!" Joe said, pulling Hermione into the parlour and seating her in front of a large mirror. His blonde assistants began doing Mel's nails.

"What are you having today?"

"Surprise me"

"Ah! You and your surprises!" he got to work trimming Hermione's hair and setting the lower layers in curlers.

"Actually" Hermione said, looking up from her magazine as Joe began taking the curlers out. "How about some nice blonde highlights?"

"I like the way you think, princess! Beatrice, bring the dye. And put a few streaks in her hair. And maybe a little toner. That's a dear!" he pointed at Mel's head with a round brush and Beatrice, the taller blonde, began rummaging through Joe's bag of supplies. Samantha, the other assistant, came and sat in front of Hermione and began filing her nails.

"What colour would you like?" she asked in a simpering voice, holding up a handful of nail polish samples.

"Better make them clear" Hermione said after a while. "I don't know what colour goes with red."

When the girls finally left the parlour four hours later they found the rest of the household in frantic mode. The chef was panicking because an order of shrimps didn't show up, Maids were knocking each other over in an attempt to gat the last corners of the castle clean. There was a few guests staying the night so guest rooms had to be made up and Clarisse was running around screeching because she couldn't find her makeup bag.

Hermione and Mel went upstairs to their rooms for a rest, which consisted of a nice hot bath and a plate of chicken pieces.

Gail had just arrived with the gowns when Mel came screeching into Hermione's room wearing nothing but a towel.

"Hermione! I need a tampon!" she whispered, dragging her royal friend into the bathroom. "I can't believe I got my period tonight!"

"I can't remember the last time I had mine" Hermione mused, rummaging through her bathroom cupboard. Mel gave a little laugh.

"Maybe your pregnant"

Hermione stood up bolt right, white with horror. Mel's smile faded slightly. "What? What's wrong? Could you be pregnant?" she clapped her hand over her mouth. "Oh my god, your pregnant!"

"No I'm not" Hermione let out a shaky laugh.

"How far along are you?"

"Almost two months" Hermione clapped her own hand over her mouth as realisation dawned on her. "I couldn't be pregnant. Not after one time. No…"

"Come on girls… the guest are arriving!" Gail called in a singsong voice.

"We'll sort it out later." Hermione whispered as they left the bathroom. "Not a word to _anybody!_"

The final preparations went past in a blur for Hermione. Gail fitted her into the pretty red dress that had a flirtatious slit up the side, the application of make up and jewellery and the final setting of her hairstyle: straight with the ends flicking out. By the end she looked radiant but she hardly felt it. As they walked slowly along the corridor, ready to make their appearance, Hermione realised that she had to see her plan through. She couldn't let this little mishap get in the way. That's all it was: a mishap. She wasn't pregnant; she was simply late for her period.

They came into view of the main room where guest were loitering around, sharing gossip and such. When they saw the two beautiful girls at the top of the staircase they stopped to watch. Hermione bought an effulgent smile to her face as she took the steps, one by one, without fault.

A presenter introduced the both of them and they curtsied. Hermione had taught Mel how to do it the previous night so she did pretty well. When they were done they moved over to watch Hermione's mother and Father appear.

Clarisse had a boldly superior smile on her face as she stepped daintily down the stairs in her midnight blue dress, her arm linked with Alfred's.

"Thank you all so much for coming! It's an honour to be hosting the annual Yule ball! I prey you will all enjoy your night! There will be a feast starting any moment followed by a dance and much joy and drinking! Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!" the crowd chorused, raising their glasses in a toast. The dining room doors opened wide to display a perfectly decorated room with the enchanted table covered in all kinds of food from all over the world.

Hermione found herself sitting beside Frederick again and on her other side, nine-year-old Princess Isaiah from Jerusalem. Mel sat a few seats up beside Frederick's cousin, Nigel. Once again Malfoy was last to enter the hall, this time with his mother. Narcissa sat at the end of the table near Hermione's mother while Malfoy came and sat opposite Hermione again. He gave her a slight smile before turning to Jamie-Lyn on his left and asking her about her last few weeks.

"Let us feast!" Alfred said loudly. Everyone cheered and began to dig in. Hermione felt another wave of nausea slide over her and she was once again reminded of her little problem. She waited until the feast was almost over before giving Malfoy a sharp kick under the table. He turned slowly and looked at her.

"We need to talk." She said quietly, leaning across the table so only he and a few others could hear. "In private." He nodded and turned back to Jamie-Lyn who seemed flattered by all the attention.

"Why does he get a private chat?" Frederick asked, reaching under the table and stroking Hermione's leg.

"Believe me, you wouldn't want to have the kind of chat we're having"

"Can I have a private chat anyway?"

"Maybe"

Classical music cued up out in the main room and people began getting up from their meals to dance.

The first thing Hermione noticed apon re-entering the main room was a group of men and two women standing off to one side, watching her.

"They're the officials," Malfoy whispered in her ear, sneaking up behind her. "They're here to judge you, see it your worthy of the throne." He glanced over at the happily dancing couples. "Shall we show them how it's done?"

He took her gently by the hand and led her out to the middle of the floor. She curtsied gracefully, watching Malfoy sadly as he bowed. How could this happen to her?

"So what did you want to tell me?" he asked as they twirled around the room. They were dancing so perfectly that other couples were stopping to watch in awe, the geeky, shy and common girl from London they had all seen in August was gone, replaced by a beautiful princess…

"I said in private"

"This is private."

"Not private enough"

"Well lets go and…"

"May I cut in?" Frederick tapped on Malfoy's shoulder and before Hermione could say anything he had swept her away.

Hermione didn't get to see Malfoy for the rest of the night. She danced with everyone, shared jokes with the elders, socialised with her own age group and rotated around the room, confident and happy on the outside, scared and miserable in the inside. The officials seemed happy with her because they said one word to her mother before making a quick departure. Clarisse seemed over the moon.

Things were just starting to settle down; people laughing and drinking in quiet groups, a few couples still dancing, when Hermione found herself cornered by Frederick. He'd had too much to drink; she could smell it on his breath.

"So how about that private chat."

"Chat away then" Hermione said, trying to edge away from him. He caught her by the arm and pulled her back.

"We can't have it here. We need a room"

"No we don't."

"Stop playing hard to get, Princess" he snarled, tightening his grip on her. She winced and once again tried to pull away. "I know you want me. You wouldn't have done all that flirting for nothing."

"I think you got the wrong idea, Freddie, I don't like you like that now please let me go."

"Uh…no" he laughed sourly and pressed himself against her. She winced again; her breasts were tingling with mild pain.

"Get off her, Frederick"

Malfoy appeared out of nowhere. He had taken his jacket off and was glaring at the other boy.

"Piss off, Malfoy" Frederick snarled before turning back to Hermione.

"Not until you get off"

"What part of piss off don't you understand?"

"Get off"

Frederick let out a cry of frustration before throwing himself at Draco.

Malfoy didn't stand a chance. Frederick was three years older, an inch and a half taller and almost twenty pounds heavier. Both of them went flying back into a cabinet full of crystal china.

Hermione screamed. As did a few other women watching. No one attempted to break them up; everyone was to shocked to do anything. Frederick began laying fists into Malfoy's face.

"Charlie! CHARLIE!" Hermione screamed as her bodyguard, and several others, came racing into the room. Charlie grabbed Frederick by the back of the shirt and pulled him up. As Frederick was being raised from him, Malfoy swung a fist around and hit his opponent heavily in the jaw. Frederick broke free and ran at Malfoy again. The blonde was ready this time and he hit Frederick in the stomach, then his eye and finally a blow to the temple sent the older boy to the ground.

Hermione ran to Malfoy's side and pulled him away. Other guest began crowding around Frederick and Hermione dragged Malfoy away from them all and up to her room.

"Are you ok?"

"I've been worse" Malfoy touched his bleeding lip gingerly as Hermione closed the door. She came and sat quietly beside him.

"Thank you" she whispered after a moment.

"No problem" he grinned and she suddenly burst into tears.

"What…what's wrong?" he looked startled but put a steady arm around her anyway.

_Fate fell short this time  
your smile fades in the summer  
Place your hand in mine  
I'll leave when I wanna_

Ooh you'll never guess what happens next! please review


	6. You have to decide

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Just a quick note… I forgot to add this at the start of the story so I'll do it now. I mention a lot of royal people and the countries they own. Well I don't really know if the mentioned countries have noble people so I simply made it all up… that's all…

Chapter six 

It took her a few minutes to calm down and when she did he asked her again.

"What's wrong?"

"Do you remember Halloween night?" she asked, folding and unfolding her hands in her lap. Malfoy smiled slightly as he remembered the trail of kisses Hermione had sent down his neck that unforgivable night in the one desk classroom. "Yeah"

"Well…I think I'm pregnant!" she blurted out before breaking into a fresh flow of tears.

"What…" Malfoy said, dumbfounded. "What do you mean you _think_ you are?"

"Well I've missed my period, I've been getting headaches, dizziness and nausea… and my boobs hurt."

"But you don't know if you are. Have you taken a test? Take a test…right now."

Hermione sniffed miserably and reached over and pressed a buzzer on her beside table. Kellie came in a few minutes later.

"What can I do for you, miss?" she asked with a curious glance at the beaten Malfoy.

"I need a pregnancy test," Hermione said numbly. Kellie's jaw dropped and she looked from Hermione to Draco then back to Hermione. "Please, Kellie, don't make this harder."

"Right away, miss" she hurried from the room, only to return a few minutes later with a home pregnancy kit.

"Pink I'm pregnant, blue I'm not" Hermione read from the back "well here goes…" she went into the bathroom to use it as Kellie left the room, leaving them with some privacy. Malfoy got up and began pacing the room. Hermione emerged a few minutes later holding a little white stick.

"Well?" Malfoy came striding over to her.

"It hasn't said yet."

They stood together, to the side of Hermione's room, staring at the little white stick. Slowly, and very agonisingly, the tab on the end began to change colour.

Pink.

Hermione let it fall from her hand as she too fell to her knees. Malfoy's hands flew to his head and he walked out onto her private balcony. Hermione could feel her whole life simply falling away around her. She sat on her knees as if she'd been shot. She didn't make a noise, she was barely breathing. Glistening tears fell down her cheeks as she watched Malfoy outside, a dark figure silhouetted in the gentle snowfall. He was leaning on the balcony rail with his head in his hands. Hermione wondered if he was crying.

The door opened and Mel came dashing in.

"Hermione, I…" she trailed off when she saw her friend in pieces on the ground.

"Hermione, what happened?" she knelt down beside her and looked at the little white stick on the ground. Her hand flew to her mouth and she looked up at Hermione. Hermione didn't notice. She was still watching Malfoy. Mel followed her gaze to the boy outside. She understood straight away. That's what Hermione loved about her.

"I'll come back later" she whispered and left. Malfoy looked up when the door snapped shut. He stared at Hermione for a moment before straightening up and coming back inside.

"I'm so sorry" he whispered, pulling her to her feet and into a tight embrace.

"What for?"

"If I hadn't been thinking of my dick I would have used a condom…or not been there at all"

"You planned to do that?"

"No. Not until we were doing it"

He kissed her forehead and hugged her tighter.

"What are we going to do?" she moaned softly, resting her head on his chest.

"You'll have to get an abortion," he said abruptly and suddenly his hold on her didn't seem so warm. She pulled away slowly and stared at him.

"That's murder"

"Well what else are you going to do?"

"Have it"

"I'm not ready to get married. Your not ready to get married!"

"What are you talking about?"

"The kid's royal. You can't have a royal child out of wedlock"

"Is there a law?"

"Yes"

"I don't want an abortion…"

"You have to, Hermione!" he said loudly, stepping away from her.

"It's murder! I can't kill my baby! Our baby!"

"Your to young to be stuck with a kid! We both are! We're not in love… we're not even together. Do you even want to keep it?"

"I…I don't know"

"It's for the best. Having a kid will screw up your life completely. I…" he trailed of as Hermione pressed a finger to his lips.

"Someone's coming." She whispered, glancing at the floor below her. "Go. We can talk about this later."

"But…"

"Go!"

Malfoy ran to the door and, with a last glance back, ran off. A few minutes later Clarisse came in.

"Have you seen Draco, dear?" she asked, not even noticing that Hermione was upset.

"No"

"We just need to make sure he's ok… are you ok?"

"I'm fine" Hermione lied. "The fight just shook me up a bit, that's all."

"It's all over now, love," she cooed, putting an arm around Hermione. "I wonder what they were fighting about?"

"Me" Hermione informed her simply.

"You? Why were they fighting over you?"

"Frederick attacked me. Mal-Draco came to my rescue" Hermione shrugged as if she no longer cared.

"Oh I'm sorry. You better go to bed now, you look exhausted"

Hermione obeyed her mother and went to bed, only to have fitful dreams starting with Frederick raping her and getting her pregnant and Malfoy coming in screaming about how she had betrayed him and that she had to get rid of it. He cut the child out himself, with a pocketknife.

Hermione spent the next few days faking a smile or laugh for everyone before going back to her room to cry. She had no idea what she was going to do. She didn't want an abortion; there was something growing inside her and she was starting to feel a little affectionate towards it. On the other hand, she didn't want to marry Malfoy. She'd looked up the law he had spoken of and it was indeed true. Also, she soon found out, if the baby was a girl it would be shipped off to some muggle city and Hermione wouldn't see it again until it was sixteen. She had wondered briefly if this was how her mother had felt.

Kellie helped her out a bit by comforting her at night and offering to tell her parents, or book her into a clinic but Hermione soon became so overloaded with grief that, on new years eve, she knew she'd have to tell someone else.

Charlie was giving her driving lessons in her new car early that morning when she suddenly pulled over to the side of the road and blurted it out.

"I guessed as much. With the Malfoy kid?"

"How did you know?" Hermione sniffed slightly, urging her tears not to fall.

"I could tell by the way you acted around him." Charlie stretched his arm along the back of the seat. "You ran off with him that night and ever since you've bet upset and physically and mentally worn. You know, Hermione, my sister got pregnant at your age."

"Did she keep it?" Hermione asked eagerly, hoping that this would give her some kind of insight.

"She did. But she's constantly moving around because she has no money and the guy she's with is a complete screw up. But you have a different situation. You can provide for a child, so can Malfoy."

"I don't want to marry him, though" Hermione said dully, starting the car up again and pulling back onto the road.

"Well I'm sorry, Hermione, but this is something you'll have to figure out with him."

Back in her room, Hermione was getting ready for the New Years Eve party being held in Scotland that night when she heard a rustling by the window. She glanced up and saw someone moving outside. She tiptoed over but the second she went to throw open the window someone grabbed her from behind and stuffed her head in a black silk bag.

"Lets go" a gruff voice said and Hermione was jostled forward, unable to scream because of a hand over mouth. Suddenly she felt herself falling. She landed heavily in someone else's arms and they dragged her away.

For a long time Hermione had to simply run alongside these people, scared of what could happen, or what they might do.

They suddenly stopped and Hermione was forced to the ground. The bag was pulled from her head and she caught a glimpse of someone tying her hands behind her back. They were in a clearing of a forest.

"G'day, Princess!" a young looking man with curly blonde hair and fairly dark skin grinned at her and pulled her into a sitting position.

"You shouldn't of taken that off" the owner of the gruff voice was standing a few feet away, he was an older man with short grey hair and a stubbly face, standing and glaring at the other with his arms crossed.

"Ah leave her be. Let her see light before we kill her" a third voice said and Hermione craned her neck to see who he was. He looked native with olive skin and long black hair tied back in a ponytail.

"You're going to kill me?" Hermione asked with much foreboding. Well at least that would solve her baby problem.

"P'haps" the first one said. Hermione figured that he was Australian. "We'll have to wait an' see what the boss says, first"

"Whose your boss?"

"Don't be silly, Princess" the native said. He was watching a spot in the forest. "We can't tell you that."

"You bin watchin' to many cop movies, love" the Aussie said, still grinning. "Real assassins don't give out their names or who they work for. That's just stupid"

"Fine"

"There's the portkey," the grey haired man said, pointing at a spot when a knife had just appeared.

Portkey? Well at least she knew they were magic.

The native went to pick it up and all three of them put a hand on it before pressing it to Hermione's throat. The Aussie put the bag back on her head and she felt a sudden jerk behind her navel and suddenly she was sitting on a stone floor.

"Give us a look," said a different, younger voice. The assassins stepped aside and someone removed Hermione's blindfold. Hermione opened her eyes and saw Malfoy staring at her. He blinked.

"You got the wrong one…again!" he shouted at the assassins. They didn't move.

"Oh so this is a regular thing for you, is it?" Hermione snapped. She would have jumped up and throttled him if the knife hadn't still been at her neck. "You just pick any old princess and get your assassins to kidnap her!"

"I was joking!" he said hastily "let her up."

The native took the knife away and the Aussie held out a hand.

"Nice workin' with you, Princess" he grinned and they three of them strolled out. Hermione looked around. There were in a stone hall with stone Gargoyles mounted on the wall and torches in brackets between each one.

"Welcome to my palace" Malfoy spread his arms wide.

"It's a bit cold, isn't it?"

"Only this room. But it grows on you"

"Why did you bring me here?"

"We have to talk" he took her by the elbow and led her through a set of doors at the end of the hall. He was right; the rest of the palace was nice. The room they had just walked into was a cosy parlour painted a natural red colour. A few couches were scattered around a crackling fire. Malfoy led her over to one of these and sat her down.

"Have you decided?"

"On what?"

"Don't be stupid, Granger, on what your going to do about that" he pointed at her stomach which was, thankfully, not showing any signs of child bearing… yet.

"No"

"Jesus Granger! You have to decide! I can't keep kidnapping you to find out, you know!"

"I really, really can't decide," she murmured.

"Well let's have a look at this…Logically. Do you really want to have the child? We don't want to get married. We're not in love. We barely know each other… hell we don't even call each other by our first names! Do you really want to let the kid grow up in a world where there is no love? Where we probably won't love him or her? And if it's a girl? It'll get shipped off to god knows where. If it's a boy then you're stuck with it for life! That's why you have to have an abortion!"

"I don't know…"

"You don't know what? That's all you can say! A simple yes or no will be satisfactory!"

"You don't understand!" Hermione stated, tears of frustration trickling down her cheeks. "There is something growing inside of me! Another human! And…and I think I am falling in love with it"

Malfoy slammed his fist down on the arm of the chair. "God damn it, Granger!"

Narcissa Malfoy made her entry at that moment.

"Oh, hello, Hermione, Dear" she said; only mildly surprised that she was there. She turned to Malfoy. "Sweetheart, you'll have to send her home now. You have to get ready for tonight"

"Right" Malfoy said through clenched teeth. His mother smiled and left.

"Why wasn't she surprised to see me? Do you bring chicks home regularly or something?"

"No. I told her."

"Told her what?"

"About you… and that. She badgered it out of me when we got home and she found me… upset."

Hermione stood up. "Give me a few more hours. I'll tell you tonight"

"Ok" he picked up a pamphlet from a small counter and handed it to Hermione.

It was her portkey home.

She landed on her feet in her empty bedroom. She steadied herself before glancing at the pamphlet. It was about abortions. She tossed it aside and continued to get ready.

The party was at Jamie-Lyn's manor by the sea and it was casual wear so Hermione was permitted to wear jeans, a tank top and a huge black jumper.

On dark, she, Charlie and her parents took a helicopter over to Scotland.

The Manor was only three stories high, though quite spread out. It had a large patio over the beach with a band set up on it. Most of the guests were milling around in the open parlour that was joined to the patio, drinking martinis and vodka.

"You can drink tonight if you wish" Clarisse informed Hermione as the entered the manor via a garden door.

Hermione nodded dully. She had no intention of drinking, mostly because her body was telling her not to but also because the last time she'd gotten drunk she'd ended up pregnant.

Jamie-Lyn called Hermione over to a small table where she and a few other noble girls varying from thirteen to twenty-one, were chatting happily about boys.

"Samuel asked me to marry him last week" one of the older girls, Kate, informed her friends. They giggled excitedly. Hermione merely rolled her eyes.

"David will ask me any day now!" Tracy said. Tracy was only fourteen and Hermione wondered why she was so eager to tie the knot.

"You know who I'd like to be asked by?" Lilly whispered. "Draco Malfoy!"

They giggled again.

"He'll ask me first!" Jamie-Lyn said huffily.

"No way!" Lilly said crossly. "Did you know he invited me to his palace before the Yule ball?"

"Liar!" Jamie-Lyn was quickly becoming out of control. Hermione decided it was time to leave so she wandered off in search of someone else to chat to.

For the next few hours, until ten, Hermione talked to some of the more pleasant girls her age. She soon found that they would prefer to go to university rather than get married. She was really hitting it off with a young Polish witch called Tamara whose mother was the duchess of Poland when Frederick pulled her aside.

"Listen, Hermione" he muttered. "I'm really sorry about the other night. I'd had too much to drink. I didn't mean anything by it."

"That's ok, Frederick. I just…" Nausea suddenly hit her and she almost fainted. Frederick caught her and a few people crowded around to make sure she was ok.

"I'm fine. I just need fresh air, that's all" she muttered, pushing through the crowd and out onto the huge patio. There were four people standing in a tight group on the beach and it took Hermione a moment to realise that it was Malfoy and his three assassins. Hermione frowned and ran down the steps onto the sand.

The Aussie spotted her first and he grinned.

"G'day Princess!" he moved over so she could join the circle.

"What are you doing?" she directed at Malfoy.

"Just a sec." He replied before turning back to the other three men. "Every single room needs to be checked. Her bedroom is where is probably the most likely place it would be. Look under the mattress and check the walls and pictures for hidden vaults and such. Right-o. Bruce, your on the top floor." The grey haired man nodded curtly and apparated. "Anik, you've got the bottom floor, Mark, you're in the middle. Don't leave until you find that file." The native and Aussie apparated, leaving Hermione and Malfoy quite alone.

_Never was and never will be  
you don't know how you betrayed me  
and somehow you've got everybody fooled._

Thanks so much for the reviews!


	7. Happy new years!

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

_I'd like to make a note to one of my reviewers…_ Then Kat Said _… I was actually online the other day when you were reviewing each chapter and putting the song in your review. I'm glad you like my choice of song and I was so amused to see your reviews. Keep it up!_

Chapter seven 

"What file?" Hermione asked, following Malfoy as he took a small path that led from the beach to the garden.

"Mum had one of her girly get togethers the other day" he explained. "You know, chicks only. Well Jamie-Lyn and her mother showed and I found Jamie-Lyn going through my study. I didn't see her take anything but when I checked the next day one of my important files was gone…are you ok?"

Hermione had suddenly grabbed a nearby tree and vomited beside it.

"Morning sickness" she managed to gasp as Malfoy held her hair and rubbed her back.

"Morning sickness" he repeated incredulously, "morning sickness in the middle of the night?"

"It can come at any time" she informed him, wiping her mouth. "Its just more common in the morning."

"Right" they went inside and Hermione was able to get hold of some water while Malfoy got a beer. He was just about to ask her of her decision when he was called away by Jamie-Lyn. Hermione was grateful fore this, as she still hadn't decided.

It was almost midnight when Hermione left the patio and once more headed to the beach. She wandered slowly down to the moonlit ocean, hypnotized by its constant beauty and movement. She carefully slipped off her shoes and began wading into the ice-cold water.

She stopped when she was about waist deep and let the little waves swell around her.

"Granger, what the hell are you doing?" Malfoy was standing on the beach holding two beers, staring at her with a hint of amusement spread across his face, luminous by the full moon.

"Just thinking" Hermione called back. She heard Malfoy laugh behind her and suddenly there was a loud splash before she found him standing beside her.

"What are you thinking about?"

"The what if's"

Malfoy laughed again before offering her one of his beers.

"No thanks" she brushed him off politely and continued to stare out to sea.

"Why not?"

"My maternal instinct is telling me not too."

"Oh" was all he said, taking a swig of the other, already opened, beer.

The band on the patio stopped playing.

"It's time for the big countdown!" the lead singer said and the guests cheered. Hermione didn't even turn to watch.

"Let's go! Ten, nine, eight…" Malfoy moved closer to Hermione. "Seven, six, five…"his body brushed against hers. "Four, three, two…" he slipped an arm around her waist and held her close. "One! Happy new years!"

"I'll do it" Hermione said determinedly as the crowd on dry land broke into raucous cheers and applause. "I'll get the abortion but…"

Before she could finish, or before Malfoy could say anything, a particularly large wave swell out of nowhere and swept them both of their feet. As Hermione slipped under the suddenly unsettled surface, she felt Malfoy lose contact with her. She rolled around on the bottom of the ocean for a few moments before the water became calm enough for her to resurface.

When she did she found herself face to face with another large wave. She ducked under the water again as it broke over the top of her. She propelled herself forward through the curl of the wave.

The first thing she heard when she resurfaced was a string of violent cursing. She looked around and saw the silhouette of Draco's body rise from the water ten feet to her left.

Spitting out a mouthful of the salty substance, Hermione half swam, half waded her way towards the boy through the turbulent waves and white water.

"What happened?" she gasped, grabbing his arm as another wave hit.

"I spilt my beer!" he whined.

"What about the other one?"

"Oh right" his face suddenly brightened as he pulled the unopened bottle from beneath the surface. He opened it and took a swig.

"The tide's coming in," Hermione said. The waves were getting bigger.

"Right" he said and turned. They struggled back to the beach where Charlie and Bruce were waiting for them.

"Are you ok?" Charlie asked, helping Hermione out of her heavily soaked jumper and giving her his leather jacket.

"I'm fine"

Malfoy was talking quietly with the assassin a few feet away. After a few moments he nodded and Bruce apparated. Malfoy came back to Hermione and her bodyguard.

"Jamie-Lyn has the Study on the second floor locked with magic and heaps of security. It needs three people to lift the guard while a fourth goes in. I'm going to do that while the boys keep watch outside. I was wondering if I could borrow Charlie to keep an eye out in the hall."

"Sure" Charlie nodded and he and Hermione followed Malfoy to the subjected study. Charlie stopped at the end of the hall while Hermione continued to follow Malfoy to a door about halfway along.

"Put these on" he muttered, handing her a pair of black leather gloves before putting some on himself. He waited a moment before touching the door to make sure the guard had been lifted. He then pulled out a pocketknife and inserted into the lock. It clicked and the door swung silently open.

Nothing looked out of shape in the little study and Malfoy immediately set out to find a fault.

Hermione picked up a few papers on the desk and riffled through them. She then turned to Malfoy who had an ear pressed to the wall and was hitting it with his knuckles.

"About the abortion…" she started. He moved to another part of the wall. "I can't just go to any old clinic. If someone sees me then it'll be all over the papers and I don't even want my parents to know."

"Pomfrey will do it"

"She's a school nurse. What would she know about abortions?"

"Well I know for a fact that Pansy went and saw her a few months ago."

"You got Pansy pregnant too?"

"Ugh, no! That's disgusting! She wouldn't tell us who the father was which makes us think that it was either Crabbe, Goyle or a Gryffindor."

He reached a portrait of a sailing ship and carefully eased it off the wall.

Hermione watched in amazement as he ran his hands over the wall behind it before pulling out his pocketknife again and sliding it in an invisible crack. There was a soft click and a small door swung open, revealing a small vault. Malfoy fiddled with the combination for a moment before letting out a triumphant laugh and pulling the vault open. Inside was the file Malfoy had been looking for, a wad of cash and a gold ring.

Malfoy took the file, closed the safe and put the portrait back on the wall. He then ushered Hermione out of the room and back to Charlie.

Hermione was happy to finally go home. Clarisse and Alfred wanted to stay a little longer so Hermione took the helicopter home with Charlie and Her parents would apparate later.

There were no social events planned for the next two weeks and Hermione was grateful for this because she was feeling guilty and miserable.

It was the first Friday of January when Hermione found herself sitting in a steaming hot bath full of lavender bubbles. She was thinking about, as she did with all her spare time of late, what life would be like if she kept the baby. If it was a girl she could raise her as a perfect lady, take her shopping and comfort her when she was having boy troubles. If it was a boy she could buy him a car, invite his girlfriend to dinner, tolerate his heavy metal music. Maybe one day she could settle down with a husband and have more children.

A tear trickled down her cheek and she wiped it away hastily and looked around the large bathroom for something to distract her. Something silver on the bench caught her eye and she got out of the bath to get it. It was a pair of nail scissors. She picked them up and got back in the bath.

Looking down at her nails, she realised that they didn't need cutting. Her eyes travelled up her palm and over her wrist. They then fell on the scissors in her other hand. With a slight feeling of resentment towards herself, she opened the blades and pressed one against her wrist. She pushed down on it until it broke the skin then she dragged it an inch or two along her arm. A trail of blood followed it and Hermione, suddenly realising what she had done, tossed the scissors across the bathroom and slipped her lower arm under the water. The cut stung and she began to cry as the water slowly turned crimson.

What had she done? Should she call for help? If she didn't would she die?

Before she could panic the blood flowing from the wound slowly faded away. She got out of the red blood bath and wrapped a white towel around herself. She then grabbed a small hand towel and pressed it over the cut. Now that the blood was gone she began to think logically. She collected the scissors and rinsed them under a tap, she scrubbed the blood droplets from the floor and bottom of the bathtub and finally she got a bandage and wrapped it clumsily around her arm. She then disposed of her blood soaked hand towel and got dressed to go down to dinner.

When she entered the dining hall she was careful to make sure her arm was well covered with her sleeve and she smiled brightly at her parents.

"We're having a get together on the last week of your holidays" Clarisse informed her as Hermione began picking at her food. "It's for our magical friends. Maybe you'd like to invite some of your friends from school?"

"Yeah ok" Hermione mumbled. Clarisse summoned a butler forward to take the names of her friends.

"Parvati, Lavender, Ron and…"

"Whoa. We need last names to" Alfred laughed.

"Oh right. Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown, Ronald Weasley, Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter"

"Harry Potter!" Clarisse' face lit up with a smile.

"Yes… Harry is one of my best friends. And I'll ask you not to go prying into his life."

"Of course not."

On the day of the get together Hermione had just clarified a dress arrangement with Gail over the phone when Kellie came to find her and told her that Clarisse was waiting for her in the parlour.

"Right-o" she muttered and went off in search of her mother.

Clarisse was having her nails filed and hair done by Joe and his assistants. She beckoned for Hermione to sit down and waited until she had done so before she spoke.

"We haven't had much time to catch up this Christmas" she began cheerily. "So lets talk. Tell me, is there any boys you like? I noticed that you spend a lot of time with Draco Malfoy. Are you two dating?"

"What? No. He's just… nicer than the other boys."

"You know… if you did decide to date him, or take it further into marriage, you have my, and your fathers, blessings. Draco Malfoy is extremely powerful and the lucky woman who ends up with him is guaranteed to be set for life."

"That's nice. Copper streaks this time, Joe" Joe had finished with Clarisse' hair and had moved onto Hermione.

"Well I still have a few things to get down around the place. What time are your friends coming? I hope you organised their dresses and suits."

"Yes I have. They should be… well here they are now."

Hermione's small group of friends entered the parlour, staring around at the architecture and expensive furniture in awe.

"Hey Herm!" Ginny squealed. Hermione smiled and waved them over. She couldn't stand up to hug them because Joe was finishing putting the foils in her hair.

"Was your trip alright?" she asked as they crowded around.

"It was great!" Ron said, looking upon his friend enviously "I've never been in a metal bird before!"

"It's called a jet, Ron." Hermione sighed. Joe let her get up after running his fingers through her hair a few times.

"Are these girls getting done?" Joe gestured to Lavender, Parvati and Ginny.

"Course they are" Hermione grinned as Parvati squealed in delight and took the chair in front of Joe.

"I'll wash those out in half an hour, dear" Samantha pointed at Hermione's head.

"Thanks" Hermione nodded and left them to it. She took Harry and Ron up to her room.

"God this is twice as big as my entire house!" Ron moaned as Hermione called Kellie.

"Yes miss?"

"Are the guest rooms ready?"

"Yes. Would you like me to show the boys to theirs?"

"Nah I'll do it." As Hermione led her two oldest friends along the corridor, she realised that she was being a bit hostile towards them. Harry noticed this to and he took the opportunity to speak to her while Ron was lagging behind, looking in all the rooms.

"Are you ok, Herm? You seem a bit depressed"

"I'm fine" she smiled at him and pushed open the door to Ron's room. "I just had a late night."

"Holy shit!" Ron had caught up to them and was staring into his room as if he was dreaming and if he stepped inside it would vanish.

"In you go" Hermione shoved him in and led Harry to the next room. She followed him inside and watched as he explored the room.

"Harry… can I show you something?"

"Sure"

Hesitantly, she pulled up her sleeve of the arm with the cut on it. It had healed sufficiently over the last two weeks and was now a thin pink scar. Harry stared at it then paled slightly.

"You've been cutting yourself."

"Only once. I wasn't my right self."

"So why are you showing me?"

"I have to show someone. I feel so guilty bottling it up."

Harry sat down beside her and pulled her sleeve back down. Ron came racing into the room with a look of pure delight on his face.

"You have a pool! Can I go swimming?"

"Sure" Hermione laughed as he ran out again.

"I better go with him and make sure he doesn't drown" Harry muttered. Harry grabbed a pair of board shorts from his bag and followed Ron out.

Hermione decided to go back downstairs to the parlour and watch the girls get their hair done.

Parvati had picked a design out of her magazine and now had several layers of soft curls with the front part of her hair tied back. Lavender was going a bit more wild with her hair curled then straight purple, green and black extensions. Ginny was simply having her hair straightened with razor layers around the bottom, making it flick out elegantly. Hermione thought that she looked the best though she didn't say anything.

"Come and sit here, sweetie," Samantha said to Hermione when she had finished Ginny's hair.

Hermione and Ginny swapped seats and Samantha began washing the foils out of the princess' hair.

Clarisse made her entrance an hour later, just as Hermione was finishing getting her eyelashes tinted.

"Your dresses have arrived!" she smiled radiantly and Hermione's friends faltered slightly.

"Thanks mum" Hermione said dully.

It was getting dark, Hermione noticed, as she led her female friends to their rooms to deposit their things before taking them back to her room.

Gail was waiting there with four newly made dresses. Ginny's was a nice, loose and strapless dress made of pale blue Egyptian fabric. Parvati's was the same except yellow and a little tighter. Lavender's was extremely tight and only went to her knees. It was green with off the shoulder sleeves. Hermione's was quite plain. It had long loose sleeves (to hide her scar), and was purple.

Gail took her time fitting the girls into their dresses and shoes. The party was only a casual get together so there was no rush.

Hermione was the first ready so she wandered out of the room to see how Harry and Ron were fairing. They were both in Harry's room, dressed in their suits ready to go. Ron looked slightly ridiculous in his suit with its red tie to match his hair while Harry looked quite handsome with a green tie.

"Ok everyone will probably be poking at you, Harry" Hermione said strictly as she straightened Ron's jacket absentmindedly. He was looking at her and blushing, making him look even more ludicrous.

"It'll be fine, Herm"

"Yeah, as long as Malfoy isn't there to ruin it" Ron added with a smirk.

"Uh huh" Hermione glanced out the window towards the front of the castle where Limo's containing various noble witches and wizards were arriving. Hermione had never told her friends that Malfoy was a monarch so they were in for a rude surprise when he showed up tonight.

"We're ready!" The other three girls came into the room followed by Gail who took one look at Ron's tie and whipped out her wand to change it to purple. Hermione was quite shocked. She'd never have guessed that Gail was a witch.

"Lets go then!" Hermione grinned slyly when she noticed Harry and Parvati watching each other. She'd come to the conclusion a while ago that they liked each other. Especially after they took the love potion together.

The group went downstairs together, laughing and joking like they did any old time. Hermione even felt her spirits rising. She shouldn't be moping! She had her friends here!

The crystal floor of the main room had been enchanted to reflect the sky outside and it was a clear, starry night. Ten small round Tables without legs were levitating in the room with five chairs around each and a name card. A band was playing over to the side of the room like always except this time they were playing gentle a gentle beat that fitted in well with the laid back atmosphere. The band members were sitting cross-legged, floating a few feet above the stage.

The guests were slowly coming into the main room, commenting on the nice set up and wandering through the tables searching for their places to sit.

Hermione and her friends were sitting at different tables.

Ron and Lavender where at a table with Hermione's friend Tamara and two other boys who looked fourteen or fifteen, Parvati and Ginny were sitting with Lilly and Fredericks cousin Nigel and another, older looking girl while Harry had been seated with Hermione, Malfoy, Frederick and Jamie-Lyn.

_Here I am, once again  
I'm torn into pieces  
Can't deny it, can't pretend  
Just thought you were the one  
Broken up, deep inside  
But you won't get to see the tears I cry  
Behind these hazel eyes_

Thanks so much for the reviews! So anyways… I know this story is quite popular. More popular than I thought it would be because this is just a little something I wrote while I had writers block in my other stories. While you wait for me to update this one why don't you read some of my other stories? … **Hint, Hint**


	8. She doesnt have to see

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter eight 

"Malfoy" Harry said dumbly as he and Hermione sat down.

"Uh yeah…" Hermione grinned sheepishly. "He's the monarch of Denmark"

"Great!" Harry said with much fake enthusiasm.

Frederick and Jamie-Lyn entered the room together and came straight over to their table.

"Oh, Draco!" Jamie-Lyn gasped when she noticed Malfoy's name card for the chair between her and Hermione. Harry's nose wrinkled in disgust.

The tables were almost full when Hermione heard her mother gasp two table's away.

"Narcissa came!" Clarisse said to Alfred. A few people who had heard looked curiously towards the door. Narcissa and Draco Malfoy had just arrived and Narcissa's appearance had sparked much whispering amongst the adults.

Hermione knew for a fact that, because Narcissa was so powerful, she only went to very selective parties. It was considered an honour to have her there.

Narcissa weaved her way elegantly through the tables, nodding and smiling to various people until she reached the table where Hermione's mother and father were seated.

"Thank you for coming, Narcissa!" Clarisse bubbled as the Malfoy woman sat down beside her.

"It was my pleasure, Clarisse" Narcissa said warmly, smoothing a hand over her beautiful pink gown.

Hermione stopped listening to their conversation as she felt Draco sit down beside her.

"Evening, Potter" Malfoy said coolly, a smirk rising to his lips.

"Malfoy" Harry replied tersely.

"_Your_ Harry Potter?" Jamie-Lyn said rudely, her eyes widening as she stared at his scar. Frederick was staring at him curiously as well.

"Yeah, you got a problem with that?" Harry raised an eyebrow as both turned away blushing.

Halfway through her spicy chicken, Hermione began to feel thirsty. She eyed her glass of champagne uneasily. Despite the fact that she was getting an abortion, her body was still screaming for her not to drink it.

She suddenly felt Malfoy's hand slide across her thigh and she leant closer to him so he could speak.

"If you don't want to drink it, stroke the base of the glass three times and it will turn to water."

Hermione, slightly confused, did as he instructed. It didn't change. She gave him an inquiring glance and he gestured for her to drink it. She took a tentative sip and realised that it had indeed turned to water. She gave Malfoy a fleetingly grateful look before continuing with her meal.

When the meal was over the tables and chairs were magicked away and the band struck up a merry dancing tune. Hermione, feeling slightly queasy after her spicy food, avoided the males who wanted to dance and sought out her friends.

"Hermione, why is Malfoy in your house?" Ron stated rudely the moment she and Harry joined their small group.

"Harry will explain" Hermione said with a small laugh. She was watching Lavender who was staring at Malfoy, quite starry-eyed.

Malfoy was standing on the other side of the room with two other boys Hermione had never seen before. There was also a shy looking redheaded girl standing not far from them by herself. Hermione realised with a start that she must be new and had only recently had her coming forth party.

"I'll be back soon" Hermione muttered to her friends and made her way across the room.

"Hi!" she said to the new girl who jumped at being addressed so freely. "I'm Hermione. Who are you?"

"Oh!" the girl blushed and shook Hermione's extended hand enthusiastically. "My name is Harriett. I, uh, come from Madagascar."

"Wow!" Hermione grinned as the girl blushed. "So you've only just found out you were a princess?"

"Only last week. How did you know?"

"I only found out over the summer that I was a princess. Don't worry, you'll get used to it."

"Whose this, Hermione?" Jamie-Lyn joined them and looked over Harriett with a superior smirk.

"This is Harriett. She's from Madagascar"

"Oh…" Jamie-Lyn smiled politely before leaning over to whisper in Hermione's ear. "She's a bit strange looking, isn't she?"

"Shut up, Jamie-Lyn!" Hermione said a little to loudly. A few people, including Malfoy and the people around him, looked over in confusion.

"_Excuse me_?" Jamie-Lyn pulled her head back and stared at Hermione in horror.

"I said shut up! What gives you the right to talk about people like that?"

"What gives you the right to speak to me like that?"

"Oh you…" Hermione raised a hand to slap her but Malfoy blocked her.

"Don't," he warned as Hermione tried to get at Jamie-Lyn with her other hand. Her sleeve fell back, exposing her scar for a brief second before it jerked back into place as she tried, this time more forcefully, to attack the other girl.

"Stop, Granger!"

At the unceremonious use of her last name, Hermione turned to look at Malfoy and found that he was staring at her arm. Though it wasn't showing now, Hermione knew- deep down inside- that Malfoy had see the scar. She let her arm drop to her side as Jamie-Lyn fled and she tried, without success, to tug free of the blonde boy.

"Come with me" he growled and pulled her out of the room.

Malfoy took her to a secluded part of the garden and demanded that she pull up her sleeve and show him the scar.

For a long time he simply stared, white faced, at the clean pink line on her outstretched forearm. Hermione kept her eyes averted and tried not to think about the scared look on Malfoy's face. Finally he raised a shaking hand and traced the length of the scar with a cold finger. Hermione bit her lip as hot tears stung her eyes and cheeks. Malfoy traced the scar again.

"Why did you do it?" he whispered finally and Hermione uttered a dry sob.

"It was only once…" she bought her eyes back to meet his. "I just…"

"Was it because of me?"

Hermione closed her eyes and bit her lip. Malfoy squeezed her hand.

"Maybe… I'm not sure. I just felt so guilty and miserable and now… I feel dirty and even guiltier. I'm so sorry. It won't happen again… I promise…"

"It's not your fault"

"I wished I'd never found out that I was a stupid princess! I wouldn't have tried to impress my stupid parents by taking stupid lessons and getting involved in stupid you!" she stamped her foot in frustration before Malfoy swept her up in a warm embrace. She tried to resist but only ended up crying softly on his shoulder.

Suddenly someone grabbed Draco and pulled him back. Hermione was about to reflexively jump forward to help when a pair of rough arms closed around her body. She tried to scream but a gloved fist was jammed into her mouth.

She watched in silent horror as Malfoy struggled with two huge men, dressed in full black, as they took a firm hold on each of his arms and positioned him between them.

Another man stepped out of the shadows and stood, arms crossed and smirking in front of the defenceless Malfoy.

"You're a bastard, Frederick." Malfoy spat. "Let her go. She doesn't need to see…"

Frederick laughed heartily.

"No… I think she does…"

And before either of them knew it, the prince had slammed a lethal fist into the side of Malfoy's head. Hermione's eyes widened in pure, blood chilling, terror.

Frederick continued to pummel Malfoy, all the while laughing and shouting things to Hermione like: "he's not so brave now…" and "I've won you back! He really is weak…"

Malfoy took the entire beating in complete silence. He barely even flinched.

Frederick must have been getting frustrated with this lack of enthusiasm because he suddenly grabbed Malfoy by the head and sent a knee into his stomach. Malfoy slumped over motionless.

He's dead, Hermione's mind screamed, he's dead, they've killed him, he's dead…

Frederick seemed to be thinking the same thing because he dusted his hands off and turned away.

"Weak" Malfoy muttered. Frederick, suddenly enraged, scrabbled around on the ground before straightening up with a decent sized chunk of wood in his quivering hand and raised it above his head, ready to strike.

Malfoy lifted his eyes to the chunk of wood with an insane smile playing across his lips.

"You going to kill me, Freddie?" he asked in a mocking kind of voice. "Just to prove a point?" his eyes flickered to Hermione and she could have sworn he winked before Frederick lunged at him, slamming the wood across his skull.

Hermione's captive's hold tightened suddenly before he fell away from her all together.

Charlie caught her before she fell and she was able to see more clearly. Her captive was unconscious on the ground, as were both of Malfoy's. Frederick, on the other hand, was being held in a death grip with a knife to his throat by the grey haired assassin, Bruce. The other two assassins, Mark and Anik, were bent over Malfoy.

Hermione slipped from her bodyguards grip and ran to the blonde boy.

Malfoy was lying unconscious on his back in the snow.

"Malfoy?" Hermione whispered, letting a hand hover over a bloody graze on his hairline.

"Ah whisperin' wont wake him, Princess" Mark shook his head sadly and Hermione got the sudden idea that he was about to tell her that Malfoy was dead. Instead he slammed a fist into Malfoy's gut.

Hermione let out a small scream as Malfoy groaned and rolled onto his side.

"Jesus mate!" he spluttered as Mark and Anik pulled him into a sitting position. "You could have used your wand!"

"That wont make you a man!" Mark laughed.

"People are coming to help" Hermione whispered.

"Shit" Malfoy got unsteadily to his feet and swayed for a moment before Mark grabbed him by the upper arm and held him steady.

"What about this dick?" Bruce asked, shunting a whimpering Frederick forward.

"Kill-" Malfoy started before glancing at a horrified Hermione and sighing. "Just knock him out"

Bruce slammed the hilt of the knife across Frederick's skull and let him drop to the ground.

"Lets go" Anik and Mark grabbed Malfoy and, with Bruce a few steps behind, the three of them ran off in the direction of the castle grounds. Hermione made to follow but Charlie grabbed her and dragged her off in a different direction.

"Shouldn't we wait?" Hermione asked, looking back at the limp bodies of Frederick and his sidekicks.

"Nah" Charlie shook his head and pulled her onwards "you don't want to be stuck at a scene like that. Malfoy doesn't want to be answering questions again…"

"But wont Frederick tell them what happened?"

"Nah. He'll lie. He can't tell them the truth without bringing you into it and he'd also have to tell them that he led the attack."

"Why would he attack Malfoy though?"

"Them two have been fighting since they were young. Then, when they got into their teens they started fighting over girls. Of course, Malfoy being more desirable, usually won the girls heart so Frederick would try and win them back by bashing Malfoy. Now, even though Malfoy is a good deal younger, he's got an iron fist and can fight as if he grew up on the streets. Bruce, his main bodyguard, taught him everything he knew. Freddie knew that if he confronted Malfoy alone he would be beaten so that's why he had Malfoy held down. Weak as hell if you ask me but that's how they work. So anyway…" Charlie stopped Hermione as they reached a side door. "Are you ok? That bloke had you in a pretty hard grip"

"I'm fine" Hermione muttered, glancing down to the gardens where the fight had been. There was a large group of people standing around the fallen bodies. "Where did Malfoy go, though?"

"I presume to fix himself up. Don't worry he'll come back. I suggest you go back inside and stick close to your friends."

_I get knocked down  
But I get up again  
you're never going to keep me down_

Thanks so much for the reviews! So anyways… I know this story is quite popular. More popular than I thought it would be because this is just a little something I wrote while I had writers block in my other stories. While you wait for me to update this one why don't you read some of my other stories? … **Hint, Hint**


	9. ah what a powerful life we lead

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter nine 

Malfoy showed up half an hour later. Hermione saw him sidle in through the same side door she had entered looking pretty much healed except for the bloody graze that was partly hidden by his hair. He gave Hermione a wonky grin, which seemed to suggest that he hadn't fully recovered, before disappearing into the parlour.

"So… tell us again what happened?" Lavender asked in a whisper, her eyes eagerly following Malfoy out of the room.

"I told you" Hermione said in a drained, stressed voice. "We were talking and Frederick came out and bashed him."

"You still haven't told us why you were talking to him, Herm" Ron said in a dark voice. He was frowning slightly at the fact that his Hermione had been out fraternising with the enemy.

"I…we were contemplating a contract…"

"About what?"

"Never you mind"

Through all of Hermione's explanations, Harry had stayed quiet and brooding, almost as if he knew what was going on…

Hermione glanced idly around the room; Frederick was standing, whispering hurriedly to Jamie-Lyn in one corner. He had a huge lump on his head but, as Charlie had pointed out, he simply claimed that someone had grabbed him from behind…

The main doors suddenly burst open and Charlie came in dragging a struggling Nigel in on hand and another boy in the other hand. They were both sopping wet. Clarisse came hurrying over to them with a harassed look upon her face.

"They've been fighting, your highness" Charlie said gruffly, pushing the boys forward. "I found them in the garden but before I could stop them they dragged each other into the pool."

"Oh for heavens sake!" Clarisse threw her hands above her head in disgust as a few people crowed around to find out what was going on. "I am absolutely sick of this fighting! All of you, in the parlour… now!" she pointed out a few teenagers whom Hermione knew had fought on other occasions but she was most shocked when Clarisse pointed to her as well.

She gave her friends an odd look before following Nigel into the parlour.

She, and the other chosen people seated themselves in the sofas and armchairs. Hermione sat in the corner of a sofa and was soon joined by Malfoy.

"Are you ok?" she asked nervously. He shrugged and grinned.

"They healed me pretty good- not as good as Pomfrey could have done- but I do have concussion…"

"How bad were you hurt?"

"Cut lip, heaps of bruises, two fractured ribs… not much…"

"_Not much_!"

"I can assure you, Granger, that I have been worse off"

"Why didn't you heal the graze?"

"I like to keep a memorabilia"

"Oh" Hermione stopped talking as the last two people – Frederick and Jamie-Lyn- sat down and Clarisse moved forward to confront them. Several other elders stood behind her, looking quite grave.

"I am utterly sick of this fighting!" Clarisse started in a loud voice. "I know you don't always see eye to eye but over the past months this fighting has gotten to much! You are all far too old and far to mature to continue this petty squabbling! Oh and don't think I don't know what its about! It is time you stood up and became a good influence to your countries!" several of the other people standing around nodded heartily. "Now I know you are capable… so we are going to leave you all in here until you can resolve your problems like adults!" Clarisse turned and stalked out with the other adults close behind. The selected teens stayed, sitting in silence and glaring around at each other. Finally Malfoy leant over to whisper to Hermione.

"So are you ok? Did Charlie get you out before the help came?"

"He did and I'm fine… just a little shaken… why are you fighting anyway?"

Malfoy gave a halfhearted shrug and glanced over at Frederick who was watching them closely.

"Lots of reasons… mainly power. I have it he wants it. That's why he's chasing you as a bride, he wants the power that your family holds and he feels threatened by our intimacy."

"I know some one else who feels threatened."

"Really? Who?"

"Jamie-Lyn"

"How do you know that?"

"At new years eve she got in a massive fight with Lilly because Lilly reckons you invited her to your place but Jamie-Lyn thinks you belong to her"

"Ah. What a life we lead; being so powerful" Malfoy said loudly so a few people looked over at them. Silence fell over the group once more before Jamie-Lyn shifted her chair so she was sitting close to Hermione.

"Hey, Hermione…" she said in a politely sweet voice. Hermione raised an eyebrow as Jamie-Lyn moved even closer. "Are you and Draco seeing each other?"

_No, I'm only pregnant with his kid…_ she thought; quite annoyed that Jamie-Lyn couldn't mind her own business.

"Of course not"

Jamie-Lyn moved closer still. "You can tell me the truth, I wont get mad…"

"I am telling the truth!"

"No your not! I know there is something going on between you two… why are you always with him then?"

"There is nothing going on and even if there was I wouldn't tell you."

"So there is something going on!"

"No there isn't!"

"You are a really bad liar, Hermione! You do know that Draco loves me…"

Hermione let out a harsh laugh and looked around. The rest of the group was listening in curiously. Beside her, Malfoy was carrying a look of amusement on his handsome face.

"He does not!"

"You bitch!" Jamie-Lyn's hand shot out and she slapped Hermione hard around the face. A few people, including Hermione, gasped while a few even laughed. Hermione felt red-hot anger swelling inside her and she jumped to her feet, ramming Jamie-Lyn into a wall as she did so. She slapped Jamie-Lyn back as hard as she could before she felt a pair of arms close around her and pull her away. Jamie-Lyn lunged at her but Frederick caught her around the waist.

"He doesn't like you, he likes me!" Jamie-Lyn screeched as both girls struggled to get at each other's necks.

"You wish! Why would he like someone so powerless as you?" the words were out before Hermione could stop them. Both Jamie-Lyn and Frederick froze. Hermione's words had obviously struck a nerve in both of them. The rest of the group watched in utter silence.

Then suddenly Frederick let go of Jamie-Lyn and lunged at Hermione. She was flung aside by Malfoy who met Frederick in a head on, bodily, impact. But before punches could be thrown several bodyguards had entered the room and put an immediate halt to the fighting.

The whole affair was finally calmed down by Narcissa, who made a gracious appearance just before Clarisse was about to blow her head, and collected Draco to take him home.

"See you at school" he said to Hermione before disappearing out the door, leaving her to face the verbal beating from her mother about acting so out of character in front of the guests.

Hermione was having mixed emotions about going back to school. On the plus side, she was getting away from her mother who had been very hostile towards her since the fight. But on the other hand, going back to school meant she would be getting her abortion and she had completely and utterly fallen in love with her unborn baby.

Malfoy gave her two days to get settled before approaching her in an empty corridor between Charms and Potions.

"Have you gone to see Pomfrey yet?" he asked, watching as she tried to stuff her charms book into her bag.

"No I haven't"

"Well when are you going to?"

"I don't know"

"Go tonight"

Hermione looked up at him with raised eyebrows.

"Why are you trying to rush it?"

"I-I just think you should get it out of the way, that's all"

"Fine. I'll go tonight. Are you coming?"

"Doubt it. Pomfrey probably wouldn't let me in anyway"

And that ended their conversation. Hermione got through the rest of the day by trying not to think about it but when dinner was finished and she was walking up to the hospital wing she could feel dread filling her from the inside out and when she entered the wing and strode up to Madam Pomfrey she felt as if she was going to be sick.

Tears slipping down her cheeks, she told Pomfrey her story. The matron took it quite well and even comforted Hermione for a few minutes before helping her onto a bed and giving her a numbing potion before conjuring up a strange machine that Hermione had never seen before.

"Ultra sound" Pomfrey explained, pulling up Hermione's shirt and rubbing cold oil on her stomach before placing the stick of the machine onto the skin. Seconds later an image appeared on the small screen. Hermione thought it looked very much like a fingerprint until Pomfrey pointed to a spot in the centre of the screen.

"That's its head," she said. "And that's its feet." She fiddled around with the image for a few more minutes before turning it into a still shot and handing Hermione another potion.

"That'll knock you out. Are you feeling numb yet?"

Hermione nodded and gulped the potion down. She instantly felt drowsy and she let her head loll back against the pillow. The last thing she saw before she blanked out was Malfoy, standing arms crossed, in the doorway.

Hermione woke feeling oddly empty and slightly headachy. She guessed that it must have been side effects of the potion. Slowly and very forcefully, she opened her eyes and looked around the dark hospital wing. She received a massive shock when she found Malfoy sitting beside her.

"Oh, its you" she said when her heart returned to its normal rate. Malfoy didn't say anything and she turned her head to peer at him. His eyes were red and swollen, as if he'd been crying.

"I'm so sorry, Granger" he whispered, burying his face in his hands. "I'm so sorry"

"For what?" she asked, utterly perplexed. He mumbled something into his hands.

"What?"

"I couldn't do it."

"Do what?"  
"I couldn't let her do it. I couldn't let her kill our baby."

"You mean…" she glanced down at her stomach and Malfoy nodded numbly. Hermione groaned and closed her eyes. "God Malfoy. Do you know what kind of hell I've been through?"

"Yes"

"All the guilty, sleepless nights. The cutting. Having to psyche myself up for this. Telling myself that my child wouldn't live?"

"Yes. Because I went through it as well."

"You… huh?"

"I didn't cut myself but I couldn't sleep and it was so bloody hard to tell you to go through this. I fell in love with the baby to"

Hermione opened one eye and peered at him. He was watching her with an apologetic look on his face.

"And now we have to figure out what to do with-"

Hermione flung herself at him.

"Thank you" she whispered, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. Malfoy was frozen with shock for a moment before smiling over her shoulder and returning the hug. They sat, for a long time into the night, chatting happily about the baby's future.

Finally, at about ten, Pomfrey ushered Malfoy out of the wing, claiming that Hermione needed rest. He left without a fuss but paused at the door.

"You'll have to tell your parents." He said gravely before disappearing. Hermione felt her heart sink. She'd completely forgotten about her parents.

LAY IT DOWN

_I'VE ALWAYS BEEN WITH YOU_

_HERE AND NOW_

_GIVE ALL THAT'S WITHIN YOU_

_BE MY SAVIOR_

_AND I'LL BE YOUR DOWNFALL_

Dun Dun Dun! Whadda ya think? Thought I was gonna let it die, didn't you? Well it's almost time to start choosing names… here are a few that I thought would be nice for a Princess or prince.

FEMALE:

Skye

Kirsten

Bianca

Annabella

Ebony

MALE:

Adrian

Adam

Sean

Please vote for one. If you have another name you'd like I'm all ears. Till then!


	10. You had sex with Malfoy?

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter ten 

It was nine days into February when Hermione found that she could no longer fit into her robes without her bump being visible for all the staff and student body to see. Only she, Malfoy, Pomfrey and possibly Dumbledore knew about her pregnancy and she didn't want to tell her friends until the last minute. Apart from the father being the 'enemy', she didn't want Harry and Ron to become all protective of her.

She examined herself in the long mirror for a few minutes longer before donning a large black jumper over her robes then, satisfied that no one would guess her secret, she skipped happily to her first class: potions.

"Right" Snape said once the class was settled and silence. He let his cold black eyes sweep the room before turning to the board and writing up the instructions for a secret keeping potion. When he'd finished writing he turned back to the class. "Get into pairs" he sneered and everyone got up to move to different parts of the room. Hermione looked around; neither Ron nor Harry was there for some reason. Malfoy was still sitting by himself but Hermione didn't want to be partnered with him. She hadn't spoken to him much over the last few weeks. If fact she'd been trying to avoid him completely: he was always asking if she'd told her parents and she hadn't so she thought it best to stay away. Malfoy seemed to realise he was being snubbed because after the first week of not talking to Hermione he began dating Pansy. Pansy saw Hermione watching Malfoy and, getting the completely wrong idea, gave her a dirty look and dashed over to sit beside her boyfriend.

Snape was just about to come over and inquire about Hermione's lack of partnering when Ron dashed into the room and sat down beside her, breathing heavily. Snape, quite taken aback by his sudden appearance, blinked several times before swooping down on the redhead.

"Why are you late, Weasley?"

"I-" he gulped. "I was looking for Harry."

"Potter's absence is not a good enough excuse for your own. Twenty points from Gryffindor."

Ron groaned as Snape strode away.

"Why were you looking for Harry?" Hermione asked conversationally as she began chopping newt's tails for the potion.

"Because he didn't come in last night and he wasn't there this morning. Its probably nothing… he's probably off somewhere with Dumbledore."

Hermione frowned. Now that she thought about it… she hadn't seen Harry since lunchtime the day before. Vowing to investigate later, Hermione continued with her potion.

When the potion double was finally over, Ron and Hermione set off together in search of their famous friend.

After an hour of scouring the castle and no sign of Harry, Ron suggested they go and talk to Dumbledore.

"Why didn't you come sooner?" Dumbledore asked harshly when Hermione had explained the situation.

"We – err – we didn't realise until about an hour ago" Hermione said, faltering under Dumbledore's immense gaze. Dumbledore gazed at her a moment longer before standing up sharply and vanishing with a loud crack.

"Where d'you think he's gone?" Ron asked in a whisper, staring avidly at the spot where the headmaster had recently disappeared.

"I don't know" Hermione said, standing up as sharply as Dumbledore had. "But I'm going to check the castle again. Just in case"

Hermione and Ron split up after that and spent the rest of the day searching for Harry. It was almost dinnertime when Hermione, who had been searching the east wing of the castle, ran into Cho, crying hysterically.

"What's up, Cho?" she asked, idly, glancing behind a tapestry where there was a small, hidden room.

"Its – its Harry!" she sobbed and Hermione whirled around to face her.

"Where is he?"

"He's – he's- he's dead!"

Hermione stared at her a moment longer before a tingling sensation overcame her body and she collapsed.

"Are you alright miss Granger?" Pomfrey's anxious looking face swarmed into view. Hermione sat up slowly and rubbed a lump on the back of her head.

"Ouch… what happened?"

"Miss Chang said you collapsed"

"Miss Chang? Oh my god, Harry!" Hermione tore the blankets off and jumped out of bed.

"Settle down, Hermione! Potter is fine!"

"Where is he?"

"Over there" Pomfrey pointed to a bed on the other side of the room where Harry was laying, quite motionless. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief.

"Cho told me he was dead."

"Yes… about that…" Pomfrey pushed Hermione into a vacant chair. "You collapsed when you found out about Potter. Hermione – is there any chance that Potter might be the father of your child?"

"Harry? Father?" Hermione's eyes widened. "Of course not! I've only had sex once and that was with Malfoy"

"Are you positive?"

"Dead set positive… why?"

"Sometimes, if something happens to a parent of a magical child then there can be extraordinary effects."

"I'm sure it was just shock. Can I see Harry now? How long have I been out for?"

"A day and a half" Pomfrey replied, watching as Hermione went to sit beside Harry's bed. "I've been letting you rest but" she shook her head sadly. "We can't seem to wake Potter…" she turned and strode up the wing and into her office. Hermione took Harry's hand in hers and kissed it.

"Oh, Harry" she said softly, tears blurring her vision of his pale, gaunt face. "What did they do to you?" she kissed his hand again. "Harry… there's something I need to tell you. I'll tell you now because you wont remember but I do really need to let it out. Harry… I'm having a baby…"

"YOUR _WHAT_?" Harry sat up, bolt right and scaring the living daylights out of Hermione. "Your what?" he repeated, snatching up his glasses so he could see her clearly. Hermione, still frozen with shock, mouthed wordlessly at him. Finally she found her voice.

"Harry, what happened to you?"

"Death eaters. But don't change the subject. What-"

"Your up! He's up!" Pomfrey came dashing out of the office, took one look at Harry then went dashing out of the hospital wing altogether, possibly in search of Dumbledore.

"Hermione, tell me who the father is" his eyes narrowed slightly. "It's not Ron, is it?"

Hermione nearly laughed.

"Ron? How'd you fit him in?"

"He's in abysmal love with you"

"Oh" Hermione frowned and shook her head. "Well it's not Ron. It's Malfoy"

"Well then" Harry slumped back against his pillow and smiled. Hermione stared at him.

"Harry, have you got concussion? I just told you I'm pregnant with Malfoy's child! You should be furious"

"Oh I'm furious," he said happily. "But I saw at that party how well Malfoy looks after you. I suppose he'd make a good father"

"Oh my god, Harry!" Hermione flung her arms around him, oblivious to his wince of pain. "I'm so glad you understand. I've been driving myself crazy trying to tell you and Ron."

"Don't tell Ron!" Harry sat up again looking shocked. "He'll go kill Malfoy! He's so unbelievably in love with you that he's almost picked out your wedding dress!"

"I'm sure Malfoy can defend himself. He was taught to fight by a group of assassins. But Ron will find out sooner or later. I can't hide a baby forever"

"Well tell him gently"

"I will"

At that moment Pomfrey reappeared with Dumbledore on her heels.

"Harry" he said abruptly, striding over to the bed. "Tell me everything"

Hermione left the hospital wing later that day feeling considerably lighter than she had before. Harry, though still not in his right mind, had given his blessing and now all she had to worry about was telling Ron and her folks.

A week after Harry got out of the hospital wing, Hermione found herself being cornered by Malfoy in the one-desk classroom.

"You haven't told them yet, have you?" he asked, already knowing the answer by looking at her scared expression.

"I'll tell them when I'm ready."

"What, when the baby's born? You can't keep them in the dark any longer!"

"Why not?"

"They have a right to know!"

"They're my parents! I'll tell them when I'm ready!"

"DAMN IT, GRANGER!"

"Wait!" Hermione said so unexpectedly that Malfoy stopped in his tracks, blinking stupidly. "Just shut up for a minute will you?" she pressed a hand to her stomach before lifting up her jumper to press a cold hand to the bare skin of her baby bump.  
"What's wrong?" Malfoy asked, frowning.

"It's kicking!" she whispered excitedly, grabbing Draco's hand and pulling him forward so he could feel. He smoothed his hand over her stomach for a moment before his face lit up with a grin and he moved even closer so he could put both hands up her jumper. Hermione let herself fall gently back against the wall as her baby pounded against the wall of her uterus.

"Does it hurt you?" Malfoy asked quietly as he continued to run his hand over her bump.

"Who? You or the baby?"

"The baby"

"It feels like a worm"

Malfoy laughed softly and took another step closer.

"Am I hurting you?"

"No"

"Hermione?" Ron was standing in the doorway of the room, his mouth hanging open stupidly as he stared at the couple inside.

"Shit" Hermione whispered, yanking her jumper down and turning her back on the redhead. "What do you want, Ron?"

Ron took a few uneasy steps into the room. His face was red with anger.

"What are you doing to her?" he asked Malfoy, completely ignoring Hermione's question. Malfoy opened his mouth to answer but Hermione grabbed his arm.

"He doesn't know," she whispered and he raised an eyebrow.

Ron repeated his question, this time more forceful.

"What are you doing to her?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Malfoy sneered. Ron's face became even redder.

"You'd better not be hurting her or I'll…"

"You'll what?" Hermione whirled around as Ron balled his fists. "Why do you even care? It's none of your business what he does to me!"

"Hermione, if he's hurting you…"

"I can look after myself, Ronald! Just leave me alone!" she tore out of the room and ran the whole way back to the Gryffindor common room. Ron was hot on her heels.

"What were you doing with him, Herm?" Ron cornered her by the fire.

"Nothing"

"Why were his hands up your shirt?"

"He was…"

"Are you sleeping with him?"

"No"

"Have you had sex with him?"

Hermione didn't answer. She couldn't without blatantly lying. Instead she stared into the crackling fire. Ron's jaw dropped.

"_You had sex with Malfoy_?" he spoke with a high-pitched voice.

"Shut up, Ron"

"I can't believe it, you had sex with Malfoy!"

"Stop it"

"I knew you were fraternising with the enemy but… sex with Malfoy? Jeez Hermione, have your standards dropped that low?"

"Alright!" Hermione shouted in frustration, "alright, Ron! He shacked me up and now I'm pregnant with his kid! Anything else you'd like to know?"

She looked around and saw a few lingering people staring at her.

She couldn't help it; she burst into tears and ran to her dormitory.

"Was she being sarcastic?" Ron asked no one in particular.

"You insensitive jerk!" Ginny hissed as she ran past to comfort Hermione.

Ron stared after her, open mouthed, his insides becoming ice cold with shock. A loud ringing noise started up in his ears and his shock turned to blazing white anger.

He would find Malfoy, right now, and kill him for what he did to Hermione.

Slowly and deliberately, Ron turned and walked calmly out the portrait hole. He guessed that Malfoy would probably be in the entrance hall.

He was.

He was outside the doorway to the dungeons with Pansy. Ron noticed, as he strode across the hall, that there was quite a few people loitering around.

"Hoi, Malfoy!"

"What?" Malfoy snarled, turning to face Ron with a death stare.

Ron sent a fist into the other boys jaw.

"That's for what you did you Hermione, you prick!"

Malfoy, rubbing his jaw, turned his eyes on Ron and smiled that same insane smile he had used at Hermione's last party. Suddenly, and quite without warning, Malfoy grabbed Ron by the throat and slammed one of his 'iron' fists into his gut. Then he sent one into Ron's face.  
"And that" Malfoy said triumphantly as Ron doubled over in pain. "Is how you fight, Weasel-bee. What happens between Granger and me is not your problem. Drop it, ok?"

Malfoy turned to walk away and Ron straightened up to charge him down and actually kill him when someone cut him off and pushed him away.

"Drop it, Ron!" Harry said defiantly, pulling his angered and beaten friend up the stairs.

"Do you know… did you see… do you know what he did to her?" Ron spluttered as Harry dragged him along corridors towards the Gryffindor common room.

"Yes, Ron, I do know. And I also know that Hermione and Malfoy are working together to make this work. They don't need you making it worse"

Ron blinked a couple of times before making Harry stop and face him.

"How do you know?"

"She told me"

_We don't need no education  
We dont need no thought control  
No dark sarcasm in the classroom  
Teachers leave them kids alone  
Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!  
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.  
All in all you're just another brick in the wall_

_I've chosen names so there's no need to suggest anymore… I wont tell you what the baby will be called so you can just wait! Please review, I love reviews…_

_Til then…_


	11. Floozy

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter eleven 

Harry and Ron entered the common room ten minutes later to find Ginny and Hermione sitting in a set of armchairs in the corner of the room.

"What happened to your face?" Ginny asked Ron as the boys approached them.

"Uh…" Ron glanced at Hermione.

"Spit it out, Ronald" she said harshly, gripping the arms of her chair so tight that her knuckles turned white.

"Uh…" Ron repeated, this time looking at Harry who nodded darkly.

"I got in a fight with Malfoy"

"Oh, Ron" Hermione groaned, slumping slightly in her seat. "You should know by now that Malfoy can fight!"

"Well by the way you explained it, he got pretty beaten up at your party!"

"He was being held down!"

"Well Harry beat him up that day we won Quidditch!"

"It was two on one! Malfoy was trained to fight by assassins, Ron, so I wouldn't get on the wrong side of him if I was you…"

Ron sat down in an empty seat.

"You should have told me, Herm"

"Told you what?"

"About you and Malfoy"

"I didn't have to tell you. It's my business."

"You told Harry"

"Harry was supposed to be unconscious"

"Herm…"

"What, Ron?"

"Are you really pregnant?"

"Yes" she lifted her jumper to show him her bump. Ron's face slowly paled before he stood up, quite abruptly, and left.

Hermione sighed heavily and got up.

"Your not going after him, are you?" Ginny asked incredulously.

"Of course not… I have to go and see Dumbledore. I'll talk to you later" and with that she strode out of the common room and down to Dumbledore's office.

She had just reached the gargoyle when she realised that she didn't know the password. She was just about to turn and go back when the gargoyle slide aside and Dumbledore appeared.

"Ah hello, Hermione!" he said pleasantly.

"Sir…I was wondering if I could go and speak to my parents in person. I'd tell them through owl but it's really important and it can't wait so…"

Dumbledore held up his hand for silence.

"I understand, Hermione. Come up to my office, I'll send you via floo powder."

Several minutes later, Hermione stumbled out of the black marble fireplace in the parlour of her castle. Clarisse was sitting in a sunny part of the parlour sipping tea and received a massive shock when she saw her daughter appear.

"Hermione!" she spluttered, mopping up her spilt tea with a napkin. "What – what are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you… is dad around?"

Clarisse gave her an odd look before reaching over to a small glass table and pressing a buzzer. Alfred appeared several minutes later. When he saw Hermione sitting opposite her mother his face lit up with a smile.

"Hermione! What a pleasant surprise!"

"Uh… yeah. Listen, dad, could you sit down? I need to tell you something really important…"

Alfred hesitated then sat down beside Clarisse.

"Ok… there's no easy way to say this so I'll just do it outright. You may have noticed me acting odd during the Christmas break… well I was acting odd because… because I'm pregnant…"

Her parents stared at her for a moment before Clarisse let out a strangled laugh. It didn't last long; seconds later she was serious again.

"Your what?" she asked, rather politely, as though Hermione had been mumbling.

"I'm pregnant"

"You – you cant be… how could you be?"

Hermione didn't answer.

"Well – well you'll have to get an abortion! Right, Alfred?"

Alfred didn't say anything. He simply stood up and left the room.

"I can't get an abortion," Hermione said quietly. "I tried and I cant"

"Well your going to have to! You can't have a baby! Could you imagine what it would do to us?"

"So that's all you care about; your stupid royalty."

"Of course that's not all I care about. So… your keeping the child… we'll have to set up a wedding. It can be a small, private one: no media aloud. Who's the father? He'd better be pureblood…"

Hermione opened her mouth to answer but a thought flashed through her mind. She didn't want to marry Malfoy. She had no feeling for him whatsoever… yet she knew this would happen. She'd have to marry him and both of them would have to live extremely unhappy lives. At least he was pureblood… and royal… that would make her parents slightly happier.

"Who's the father?"

"I – I don't know" Hermione said quickly, blushing and looking down at her hands.

"You don't know! YOU DON'T KNOW! What, were you raped?"

"No… I was drunk… I don't remember"

"Oh my god…"

"Mum?" Hermione shuffled forward slightly as Clarisse put her head in her hands.

"Get out" came her muffled voice. Hermione withdrew slightly.

"W-what?"

Clarisse lifted her head slightly to glare at Hermione.

"You heard me you – you little _whore_! Get out! You're an embarrassment to the entire family! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" Clarisse threw her teacup at Hermione who ducked and let the china smash on the wall behind.

"GET OUT! GET OUT!"

Hermione jumped to her feet and ran to the fire, pulling a little sachet of floo power out of her pocket and tossing it into the flames.

When she emerged in Dumbledore's office she had tears streaming freely down her cheeks. The office was empty so she ran for the door, planning to go back to the Gryffindor tower.

She was halfway there when, blinded by her tears, she tripped on the stairs and stumbled. A firm hand grabbed her wrist and steadied her before she toppled over completely.

"Well we're in a rush, aren't we?" Hermione tried to break away from Malfoy but he pulled her around to face him. When he saw her tears, the grin on his face vanished. "What's wrong?"

When Hermione was unable to answer he led her into a nearby empty classroom, sat her down on one of the desks and bent slightly so they could see eye to eye.

"What's wrong?" he repeated.

"They – they kicked me out"

"Who did?"

"My – my p-parents. They kicked me out of the house when I told them… my mother called me a whore…" she put a hand over her mouth to prevent a sob escaping and turned her watery brown eyes away from the grey ones that pierced them. "I – I have nowhere to go… no money. I should have gotten an abortion… Oh god, what'll I do?" she was becoming hysterical. Malfoy pulled her to her feet and forced her to look at him.

"Listen to me, Granger. Do you really believe that I'd just desert you… and our baby?"

"I'll end up on the streets… I'll have to go into prostitution…" Hermione muttered wildly, paying no attention at all to the boy in front of her.

"Granger!"

"Huh?"

"I'm not going to let that happen."

"Your – your what?"

"I'm not going to let you end up on the street, or go into prostitution. Its my baby too, do you really think I'd desert you both?"

"What are you saying…?"

"You can come and live with me until your parents sort themselves out. Don't worry, they'll come round."

Hermione bit her lip and stared up into his suddenly kind eyes.

"Thank you" she whispered as a fresh set of tears leaked from her eyes. Malfoy laughed and pulled her into a hug.

"Anything for a princess."

"I didn't tell them that you were the father. I told them I was drunk and I didn't know…"

"Why'd you do that?"

"So we don't have to get married"

"Oh… well thanks… I guess"

"Draco! _What_ are you doing with _her_?" Pansy was standing in the doorway staring at her boyfriend with shock horror and betrayal written all across her puggy face.

"Pansy!" Malfoy pushed Hermione away and made to go to the door. Pansy shook her head and ran away.

"Damn" Malfoy muttered and sat down on a desk.

"Go tell her" Hermione said softly, stepping over to him.

"Tell her what?"

"About the baby"

Malfoy raised his eyes and looked at her, trying desperately to read her blank expression. When he couldn't he stood up.

"Are you sure? You're going to cop hell over this."

"I know. Better to cop it now then later, right?"

"Right" Malfoy gave her hand a quick squeeze before leaving the room at a run. Hermione sighed and glanced down at her watch. There was still an hour until dinner, which gave Pansy plenty of time to spread the word about Hermione's pregnancy.

Deciding to worry about how to deal with Pansy later, Hermione wandered at a leisurely pace back to the Gryffindor tower. Despite the fact that her mother had called her a whore and kicked her out, Hermione was feeling considerably lighter. She finally realised that Malfoy was serious about having this baby and that while he was around, Hermione wouldn't have to worry about a thing.

There were only two people in the tower at that moment. Harry was sitting with Parvati in the common room, both of them struggling with homework.

"Have you been crying, Hermione?" Parvati asked kindly when she joined them.

"No. Just allergies" she lied and pulled her own homework towards her. She had only written a paragraph (which was more than Harry and Parvati) when she felt a stabbing pain in her gut. She drew a quick breath and pressed a hand to her stomach.

"What's up, Herm?" Harry asked, eyeing her with suspicion.

"It's kicking"

"_It's kicking_?" Parvati said incredulously. "What's kicking?"

Hermione fixed her with a withering glare.

"I know you were here when I told Ron, Pav. You don't have to fake anymore"

Parvati glanced at Harry as Hermione pulled her jumper off and lifted up her shirt.

"You want to feel?"

Harry looked at the bump hesitantly before reaching over to touch it. Hermione took his hand and guided him to where the baby was kicking. When he felt it, his face lit up with a grin, much like Malfoy's had when he first felt it.

"Let me feel!" Parvati squealed, pushing Harry's hand aside and pressing her fingers expertly against Hermione's skin. "Ooooh, I can feel it!"

It was Harry's turn to bat Parvati's hand away. She glared at him as he pressed his hand on the same spot she had.

The portrait hole opened and Ron stepped it. His eyes swept over the small group, falling lastly on Hermione, before he stormed up to the boys' dorm.

"Ok, that's enough!" Hermione said, pushing their hands away and pulling her shirt down. "I want to get this homework done before dinner."

Hermione went down to dinner with Harry. When they reached the entrance hall Hermione immediately noticed a group of Slytherin girls, crowded around a crying Pansy, near the doors to the great hall. Hermione sighed and braced herself for the chain of insults that was to come.

"Whore"

"Floozy"

"Slut"

"Skank"

"Cyprian"

"_Cyprian_?" Harry muttered as Hermione dragged him onwards, confidently ignoring the girls.

"Another word for slut" Hermione explained as they walked down between the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables. Pansy had certainly gotten the word around. Lots of people were staring at her curiously but most had looks of disgust on their faces. One of these were Lavender who, when Hermione sat down opposite her, got up and stalked to a seat further down the table.

"You shouldn't have to take this, Herm" Harry said, glancing around the hall.

"What else am I going to do? And no, Harry, you aren't going to hex them" she added when he opened his mouth.

"Can I hex them?" Ron came and sat down on her other side. Hermione smiled gratefully at him.

"Thanks but no, Ron. It's easier to simply let them wear themselves out."

Much to Hermione's dismay, Pansy did not wear herself out. On the contrary, she seemed to get worse; two months later she was hissing death threats to Hermione when she walked by and trying to trip her down the stairs. Hermione was never able to speak to Malfoy alone because Pansy was always with him.

Hermione's stomach was so big now that she could no longer hide it behind her black jumper but people seemed to be getting used to her being pregnant. Some would even approach her in the corridors and ask if they could touch it.

One person, who didn't accept it, apart from the Slytherins, was Lavender.

Two nights after finding out Hermione was pregnant with Malfoy's, her crushes, baby, she came to confront her in the common room. Unfortunately for her, Hermione was having terrible mood swings from lack of sleep (due to baby's kicking) and she lashed out at Lavender, causing a horrible bitch fight between them.

Now, with only three months until the birth, Hermione was becoming quite sick of all the bitching.

It was a comfortably warm day when Hermione found herself, like any other day, being approached by Pansy in an empty corridor.

"You know" Pansy said maliciously, blocking Hermione's path, bringing her to an abrupt halt. "Draco doesn't even want your stupid kid. He told me last night that he wishes you would fall over and lose it before he become's the father of a mudbloods child"

"For your information, Pansy" Hermione said, "I am actually pureblood. More pureblood than you are in fact and I know Malfoy wants the baby. He wouldn't have stopped me getting an abortion if he didn't."

"He hates you"

"Well he can hate me. I seriously couldn't care less"

"He hates the baby too"

"Look, just because the baby you murdered didn't have a decent father, doesn't mean mine can't have one"

"How _dare_ you, you slut!" Pansy gave Hermione a hard shove and she fell back against the wall.

"Hoi!" Malfoy can striding up the hallway and pushed Pansy away. "What the hell are you doing, Pansy?"

"She was dissing me about my abortion!"

"Oh yeah, and you haven't been giving her crap for the past two months? I don't even know why I bother with you anymore!"

"Hermione" Ron came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. With one last glance at the fighting couple, Hermione took his outstretched hand and followed him. Instead of leading her back to the Gryffindor tower, he took her to an empty classroom.

"Hermione, I just want you to know I'll always be there for you"

"Thanks, Ron"

"And for the baby… I – I really like you Herm, and more than friends. If you wanted, I could be a father to your baby…"

"Ron, my baby has a father"

"Yeah but…"

"And that father loves the baby"

"I just want what's best for you"

"I know, and I truly appreciate it but what I think is best is that my baby grows up with it's natural father. Malfoy can provide for a child and not have to work two jobs. You can do more for me by being my friend than my baby's father."

"If that's what you want"

"It is" she stretched up and kissed him on the cheek.

_I got a disease_

_Deep inside me_

_Makes me feel uneasy baby_

_I can't live without you _

_Tell me what I am supposed to do about it_

_Keep your distance from it_

_Don't pay no attention to me_

_I got a disease_

_Well. Thanks for all the reviews. They've been really positive so keep em coming! That last chapter sent my reviews past the 100 mark so thanks!_


	12. what about Shia?

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter twelve 

The next few weeks were the most peaceful Hermione had ever had during her pregnancy. She had no idea what Malfoy had said to Pansy but she had finally stopped tormenting her, although Hermione was still unable to speak to Malfoy because Pansy continued to hang off him.

It was the last Saturday before the seventh month mark when Hermione, after having a horrible nights sleep, decided to head off around the lake for a peaceful walk to calm her nerves. She had a little over two months to go and she was becoming nervous about the birth. She wanted to speak to someone about the baby, like picking a name and small things like that and she guessed that Malfoy was the best to talk to but he was never there. And every time they tried to speak to each other Pansy would intersect and pull an unwilling Malfoy away.

Hermione was just setting off around the lake when Malfoy came running up to her.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked, looking slightly harassed. Hermione shrugged and continued to walk. Malfoy hesitated a moment before catching up to her and slowing down to her pace.

Neither of them spoke for a long time; they simply strolled along the waters edge in a comfortable silence. It was when she felt Malfoy's hand slide over hers did she receive a big shock. When she didn't say anything, he laced his fingers through hers and moved a little closer.

They walked in silence for a while longer before Hermione felt a sharp pain in her stomach.

"It's kicking," she said, massaging her stomach to ease the pain. Malfoy raised an eyebrow before pushing Hermione gently back against a tree and pressed his hands to her stomach.

"Granger, you look really tired" Malfoy said suddenly, raising his gaze from her stomach to her face. "Have you been getting enough sleep?"

"Not as much as I could," she said softly, closing her eyes and enjoying the calm, rhythmic motions Malfoy was making across her stomach.

"Why not?"

"This thing has been kicking the hell out of me and my back hurts and just little things like that"

When Malfoy didn't say anything, Hermione opened her eyes and peered at him curiously. He was watching her in much the same manner.

Quite suddenly, and very unexpectedly, he leant in and kissed her. Hermione didn't even get a chance to hesitate; she was so suddenly swept up in the passion that she was barely able to raise her shaking arms to slide them around Malfoy neck. It was not like any kiss she had ever felt before. His lips were insistent yet soft. His tongue was exploring, and yet not in a conquering way. Without thinking she began kissing him back.

What seemed like years later, Hermione pulled away, gasping for air. Malfoy smiled and began massaging her stomach again.

"What do you think about Shia?" he asked casually, as if the kiss had never taken place.

"Huh?"

"Shia – for a girl."

Hermione paused, running the name through her mind.

"Its nice" she said truthfully, "what about Adrian for a boy?"

Malfoy nodded and looked down at his hands. Hermione bit her lip.

"Malfoy… why did you kiss me?"

He looked up again, this time with an impish smile on his face.

"'Cause I felt like it"

"What about Pansy?"

"What about her? I don't like her"

"Then why are you dating her?"

"To keep her quiet"

Hermione straightened up from the tree as they prepared to leave. Once again, Malfoy took her hand in his.

"Why would you need to keep her quiet?"

"So she would stop harassing you. Its something you don't need on your back at the moment"

"You didn't have to do that if it's making you unhappy"

"Its only two more months. I can deal with it."

Hermione looked down at her watch as they reached the castle doors. Malfoy had let go of her hand in case Pansy was out on the prowl and Hermione was already missing the warmth of his touch.

"I have to go to Madam Pomfrey for an ultra sound," she informed him "would you like to come?"

Malfoy's face brightened considerably and he opened his mouth to reply.

"No he doesn't want to go" Pansy came stalking out of the Dungeons and straight over to them. "Come on, Draco. We have to finish that essay for Snape. You don't have time to be messing around."

Hermione laughed. "I'll see you later, Malfoy"

"See you, Granger"

"Your stomach is very small for seven months" Pomfrey told Hermione as she set up the ultrasound machine.

"That's not a… problem, is it?" Hermione asked, fear striking up inside.

"No, no of course not. I was simply making an observation. Here we go… lift up your shirt… ok. That's its head there… and if I'm not mistaken that's its nose."

Pomfrey did a complete check up of Hermione before sitting her down for a talk.

"Have you thought about your baby's future yet, Hermione?"

"What about it?" Hermione replied, eyes narrowed.

"Well I know your parents kicked you out of home. Do you have anywhere to go? Or any money?"

"I'm moving in with Malfoy"

"Oh good, at least the baby will have both its parents around"

Hermione left after that and headed back to the lake, her mind still haunted by Malfoy's kiss. Had he really done it because he'd felt like it or did he fancy her? Was there a possibility of a future together?

She sat, with some difficulty, by the waters edge and proceeded to toss pebbles into the lake. Despite the beautiful weather, there weren't many people out and about. Exams were just around the corner and students had been loaded up with homework. Hermione, of course, had already finished.

For some reason her thoughts swayed to Harry. His life had been through hell the last few years and yet lately he seemed so overly happy. Ron had straight away suggested that he might be on drugs but Hermione had other ideas. Harry had been spending an increasing amount of time with Parvati and Hermione knew it was only a matter of time until something happened between them…

Hermione went into labour three days before school broke up for the summer. She had been in the girls' toilets with Ginny when her water broke. Hermione freaked out and was barely able to let Ginny leave to get help. Ginny had been gone a little over two minutes when the first contraction hit. She had to grab the sink to keep herself up. Ginny returned moments later with Pomfrey and McGonagall.

"Get her back to the hospital wing. Easy goes the baby isn't here yet" Pomfrey instructed and Hermione realised she was right. The pain of the contraction gone, she was able to walk to the hospital wing unsupported. Harry ran into them halfway there.

"Malfoy – gotta get Malfoy" he muttered and hurried off.

Hermione was sitting on a bed in the hospital wing when Malfoy and Harry came flying in, practically falling over each other.

"Oh hi, Herm" Harry said when he spotted her sitting on the bed with a book in her lap. "I thought you said you were having the baby?"

"I am," she said as the boys sat either side of her. "It's just not coming yet"

"Well when is it coming?" Malfoy asked impatiently, patting her stomach absentmindedly through the light cotton shirt she was wearing.

"Probably not for a few more hours. I've only had one contraction"

Harry glanced at Draco over Hermione.

"Are you going to tell her?"

"Later"

"Tell me what?" Hermione sat up straighter, looking from Harry to Malfoy.

"Nothing" Malfoy said innocently. Hermione punched him in the arm.

"Tell me!"

"Fine!" he said, sliding away from Hermione slightly. "I asked Potter to be godfather"

Hermione raised an eyebrow then looked at Harry who nodded.

"And did you accept?"

"Yes"

"Oh thank you!" she flung her arms around her raven-haired friend. "I didn't know how I was going to choose between you and Ron"

"Weasley isn't mature enough" Malfoy stated, quite put out that Harry got a hug and he didn't. Hermione turned to him.

"Well thank you for making the decision for me"

"What? I don't get a hug?" he asked when she turned back to her book.

Harry glanced between them, smirking slightly. He stood up.

"I'll be back later, Herm. Don't have that kid without me"

When Harry was gone, Malfoy knelt down in front of Hermione and pulled up her shirt.

"Would you hurry up you little bugger?" he said to her stomach and kissed it. Hermione giggled.

"Its not going to hurry up if your calling it names"

Malfoy looked up at her with his intense grey eyes. Without breaking the gaze, he straightened up and kissed her.

Hermione pulled away seconds later with a sharp cry. Malfoy stumbled backwards as Hermione clutched her stomach.

"Are you ok?" he asked, sitting beside her and rubbing her back.

"Yeah… I think so," she said as the pain went away.

The door at the end of the wing opened and four people came striding in.

It was Clarisse, Alfred, Charlie and Dumbledore. They spotted her and Malfoy and came walking up the wing, the group led by Clarisse looking divine in a satin dress and long mink coat.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked weakly, standing up as the group reached them.

"It was short notice but we found a muggle family" Clarisse said abruptly, looking at Hermione's huge body with distaste.

"A muggle family for what?"

"If the baby's a girl. It has to go to a muggle family for sixteen years"

"It's not going anywhere!" Malfoy spoke up. Clarisse looked at him as if she'd only just noticed him.

"Draco! What are you doing here?"

"He's my baby's father" Hermione said tiredly

"I thought you said you didn't – "

"I lied. We didn't want to get married so I lied" Hermione shrugged as if she didn't care but she had seen her fathers face and he looked hurt. Charlie, on the other hand, was grinning.

"Mum, I'm going to go and live at Malfoy's place for a while after I have the baby. Just until you get used to the idea that I'll be keeping it no matter what gender it is."

"And when are you having it?" Clarisse asked, crossing her arms and glaring at Hermione.

"Right now. My contractions started an hour ago"

Charlie couldn't contain himself. He burst out laughing.

"Charlie!" Clarisse said, disgusted at his behaviour. "Control yourself!"

"I'll wait outside" he said, fighting back his laughter. "Malfoy, may I have a word?"

Malfoy glanced at Hermione who nodded then followed Charlie out of the wing.

"Hermione, I know its hard to give up your child" Clarisse said kindly. "I had to give up you, remember. But it's tradition and if the baby is a girl, which it will hopefully be, you will have to give it up"

"I live with Malfoy now" Hermione informed her harshly. "He doesn't have any traditions so the baby stays"

Mother and daughter glared at each other for a moment before Clarisse turned and stalked away.

"She'll come round, Hermione" Alfred said kindly, speaking for the first time. He smiled, kissed Hermione on the forehead then followed his wife out.

"You handled that well, Hermione" Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling. He dipped his head to her then strode to the other end of the wing and into Pomfrey's office. Malfoy came back smiling.

_Everything's gonna be alright now  
Everything's gonna be alright  
Get down stay up all night now  
Let's do this one more time  
Everything will be alright  
Everything will be alright alright_

_Ooooooo cliff hanger. She's in labour and you don't know what's going to happen! Ha! Review please and I may post more…_


	13. Beauty

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter thirteen 

As the night wore on and Hermione's contractions came closer together, she received numerous visits from all her friends. Malfoy stayed with her the entire time, keeping her occupied by talking to the baby.

It was when her contractions were less than a minute apart that Pomfrey emerged from her office and made Hermione lay on the bed for a check up. Malfoy climbed onto the bed behind her so she was leaning back against his chest. Hermione was beginning to freak out again and when Pomfrey asked if she was ready to push she shook her head vigorously.

"Well I'm afraid you don't have a choice" Pomfrey stated. Hermione let out a gasp of pain and squeezed Malfoy's thighs, digging her nails deep into his skin.

"Hermione if you start pushing then it wont take more than fifteen minutes"

"Fifteen minutes!" she gasped.

"Ok… push!"

Hermione pushed. Pain tore through her entire body. Pain like she never thought existed. She knew childbirth was hard but the stories she had heard could never ever prepare her for this.

What seemed like an eternity later, madam Pomfrey told her she could stop. The pain subsided slightly as the room came back into focus. She could hear people talking, laughing and a baby crying.

Slowly and forcefully, Hermione opened her eyes as Pomfrey placed a neatly wrapped newborn on her stomach.

"It's a girl, we had a girl" Malfoy told her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and hugging her tightly. Hermione laughed and gently lifted the child into her arms.

"She's beautiful," Hermione whispered hoarsely as Malfoy reached over her to stroke the tuffet of dark hair on the Childs head.

"Draco, would you like to cut the cord?" Pomfrey asked, grinning from ear to ear and holding out a pair of scissors. Malfoy, grinning as well, took them and cut the cord. Hermione began to cry.

"Rest for a moment." Pomfrey instructed, taking the baby away to weigh her and test her reflexes. Hermione didn't want to give her up but once the baby was gone she fell back against her pillow, utterly exhausted. Malfoy, still grinning, crawled over the bed and curled up beside her.

"We had a girl," he whispered again. "A beautiful little girl"

Pomfrey finally bought the baby back and gave her to Malfoy who put her on the bed between he and Hermione.

"Shia?" Hermione asked.

"Shia" Malfoy replied.

Shia had a chubby round face with sapphire-blue eyes and ruby-red lips. Her tuffet of hair was pitch black but Pomfrey assured them that it would go blonde like Malfoy's.

"Hermione, your friends want to come in. I suggest you go and bathe and clean yourself up." Pomfrey came and stood over the bed, smiling down at them.

Hermione groaned but got up anyway and trudged to the bathroom. A hot bath was waiting for her and she slipped in gratefully.

She emerged ten minutes later dressed in a light cotton dress with fluffy white bathrobes over the top. Her freshly washed hair was tied back out of the way and her feet were encased in white slippers.

While she had been away, Pomfrey had changed the bloody sheets on her bed and cleaned the place up.

Malfoy was pacing the room with Shia in his arms, humming softly to her. When he saw Hermione he came over and handed Shia to her.

The door at the end of the wing opened and several people came racing in.

Harry reached them first and Hermione slowly lifted Shia into his arms.

"Oh, she is _gorgeous_!" Parvati said, reached over Harry's shoulder to touch Shia's soft baby face. Hermione smiled then went over to her bed where she curled up on top of it, watching her friends pass her daughter around. A few minutes later Harry came and joined her on the bed.

"Well done, Herm," he said, giving her a quick hug.

"Thanks, Harry. What time is it?"

"Uh…" he glanced down at his watch. "It's just past three in the morning"

"Three in the morning!" Hermione sat up. "How did you manage to stay up until three?"

"Snape tried to send us to bed but Dumbledore appeared and said we could wait up for you to have the baby."

Ginny detached herself from the group and came and sat on Hermione's other side.

"Ginny, I want you to be Shia's godmother" Hermione said formally. Ginny grinned.

"Yeah ok"

"Thanks"

"Hermione?"

"Mmm?"

"Your still fat" Ginny giggled and poked her. Hermione poked her back. The door at the end of the ward opened again and Dumbledore and McGonagall came in.

"Congratulation, Hermione" Dumbledore said, standing at the end of her bed and smiling at her.

"Thank you, sir. Would you like to hold her?"

"Please" Dumbledore winked at Harry then turned and collected the child from Ron. When Dumbledore had finished holding her, Malfoy's friends, Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott, showed up to congratulate their mate.

After that, madam Pomfrey ushered all the students out of the wing so Hermione could feed Shia and get some sleep. Luckily for Hermione, feeding Shia for the first time was a breeze. The hardest thing she found was that she was up two hours later, feeding her again.

Hermione and Shia spent the last few days of school in the hospital wing. Malfoy came to visit them every chance he got which was quite often after he had finally dumped Pansy.

The train ride back to London was extremely peaceful and very enjoyable. Shia spent the whole trip asleep in Malfoy's compartment so Hermione was able to spend her last few hours with her friends. In one part of the trip Harry and Parvati disappeared for an extended amount of time. When they returned they were both red in the face.

On the platform Hermione said a quick goodbye to Ron and Harry and promised to come visit them before she ran to meet Malfoy at the barrier. It had only been three days since the birth but Hermione was already almost back to her normal weight and looked as if she'd never been pregnant and simply put on a pound or two.

Neither Malfoy nor Hermione had had time to buy anything like baby seats, or bassinets or carrycots or even personal clothing (at the moment she was dressed in a plain white suit.) so Malfoy had her wrapped in his arms.

The first thing Hermione saw when they exited the train station was Charlie leaning against a black stretch limo.

"I took the liberty of asking him and your maid to move in to," Malfoy said as the burly man came towards them.

"She's beautiful!" Charlie scooped little Shia up in his arms and cuddled her as Malfoy's driver loaded their trunks into the car. Charlie held out his hand to shake Malfoy's. "Good job"

"Do you think we should stop and buy her a bed and some clothes?" Hermione asked once they were in the car and driving towards the airport.

"Nah. Mum's a sucker for kids. I'd say she'd have already got the basics. You can go get her other stuff tomorrow if you want"

Hermione nodded and looked down at Shia. She was so perfect that Hermione thought she might break if she touched her. She reached out and let her hand hover over her daughter's calm face. At the same time she felt Malfoy's arm slide over her shoulders. She looked up at him and he grinned.

"We're going to have fun"

The flight to Denmark didn't take much time and before long they were in another limo driving up the drive to Malfoy's palace.

Narcissa Malfoy met them at the front door with open arms.

"Thank you for letting me stay here, Mrs Malfoy" Hermione said pleasantly as Narcissa scooped up the baby.

"Call me Narcissa, Please. Oh she looks just like you, Hermione! Same round face and luscious red lips!"

"She looks more like Draco" Hermione stated with a small smile. "Madam Pomfrey says she'll probably have blonde hair and she already has his eyes"

"Isn't she a beauty!" Malfoy's three assassins apparated in with a crack and crowded around the two women. Mark, the Aussie, was peering over Narcissa's shoulder.

"Would you lot get over here and help?" Malfoy called from the car where he and Charlie were struggling with the trunks.

"Wimp" Mark muttered and the three men strode over to the car.

"Come, Hermione. I'll show you the nursery. I decorated it myself!" Narcissa said proudly, turning and leading Hermione into the house. Hermione hesitated then followed.

Narcissa led her to the third floor of the palace and into a large room with a massive four-poster bed made of mahogany and matching furniture.

"This doesn't look like a nursery," Hermione said slowly, taking in the deep red tones on the quilt. Narcissa laughed.

"No dear, this is your room. The nursery is through here" Narcissa went to a gold tapestry on the left side of the room and pulled it back. Hermione stepped into the slightly smaller yet brightly lit nursery. Everything was in a brightly lit colour of red, green, blue, yellow, pink and purple.

"At least its not all pink" Hermione said, doing a full turn so she could see everything. There was a white cot fixed with a mosquito net in the centre of the room. To one side was a changing table fitted with draws. On the other side was a tall cabinet with a scattering of ornaments set on top of it. The rest of the room was dedicated to hundreds of stuffed animals of all shapes and sizes.

"Babies need colour, not sexism. I remember when Draco was born; Lucius had the entire room blue. Thank god he's out of our lives now" Narcissa looked down at Shia then placed her in the cot. She turned and looked at Hermione.

"You have slimmed down beautifully since the birth. Your very lucky."

"Yes I know" Hermione went over to the dresser and opened it. It was empty.

"I thought you might like to choose her clothes. We'll go shopping tomorrow"

"Oh shopping! I love shopping!" Kellie made her appearance at that moment. She was carrying a huge bunch of flowers, which she handed to Hermione. "From your father"

Hermione put the flowers on the changing table and pulled Kellie over to look at Shia.

"Oh what a cutie, miss!"

"She is, isn't she?" Hermione reached down into the cot and straightened Shia's blanket.

Hermione didn't think she was so cute at three the next morning when she was being woken from a peaceful sleep by her daughters frantic screaming. Blinded by much needed sleep; Hermione dragged herself out of bed and into the nursery. A silencing spell had been placed on the room so no one except Hermione (who had a baby monitor) could hear her. Hermione wasted no time in feeding the baby and changing her nappy and yet the crying persisted. After ten minutes of Hermione trying desperately to get her to sleep, Kellie entered the room looking quite awake for after three.

"Oh did we wake you, Kellie?" Hermione groaned apologetically.

"Of course not. I have a monitor."

"You don't have to be up"

"Its my job"

"Well make sure I give you a raise tomorrow, ok?"

"Will do. Here, let me try" Kellie took Shia and began rocking her.

Ten minutes later she was still screaming.

"Maybe she's sick" Hermione said for the fifth time, taking Shia back in her own arms so Kellie could rest.

"She isn't sick" Kellie assured her, yet again.

"Well what's wrong with her?"

"I don't know; I'm not a mother!"

"Having night troubles, are we?" Narcissa came waltzing into the room with a wide grin spread across her pretty face.

"You have a monitor too?" Hermione asked in a drawn out, strained voice.

"Of course I do!"

"So you've been laying there for thirty minutes listening to her cry?"

"I wasn't sure if you were the kind of mother who snapped at help."

"If help means I can go back to bed then help away"

Narcissa laughed and scooped Shia up, tightened her blanket then began rocking her gently. Kellie watched, amazed, for a moment before leaving. Hermione stayed until Narcissa had the baby sleeping again.

"You're a god send, Narcissa" Hermione said as Narcissa placed Shia back in her cot.

"After raising Draco I can do anything!" she said happily before dancing out of the room. Hermione shook her head, watched Shia for a moment then went downstairs for some water. On the way back she noticed Draco's bedroom door open a crack. She pushed it open and peered inside.

Malfoy looked like an angel curled up in his masses of emerald green blankets. His face was so peaceful that Hermione wondered briefly what worried him so much that he didn't look this peaceful all the time. Without thinking, Hermione entered the room and crawled under the covers of his bed. He snuffled gently and rolled over as Hermione cuddled up to his warm body and fell asleep.

_In the arms of an angel  
Fly away from here  
From this dark cold hotel room  
And the endlessness that you fear  
You are pulled from the wreckage  
Of your silent reverie  
You're in the arms of the angel  
May you find some comfort there_

So she has a baby now! And she's sleeping with Malfoy! Hope you liked…


	14. Hit it harder

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter fourteen 

Hermione left Draco's bed early the next morning and went back to her own room. She was able to spend five minutes snoozing in her own bed before Shia woke again, demanding attention. Hermione fed her then bought her into her own over sized bed for a cuddle while she waited for everyone else to wake. Kellie came in after the sun had risen and sat on the end of Hermione's bed, smiling down at her.

"I think I'll give you a raise of fifty percent," Hermione said, smiling back at her. Kellie laughed.

"Do you even know how much your father pays me a week to start with?"

"No… how much"

"Twenty-two hundred plus board and food. I don't think you need to raise it by fifty percent"

"Well how much do I raise it by? Be honest"

"Well" Kellie tapped her nails on her leg. "Usually when you get a raise its by five percent but because there's a kid involved I think you should make it six."

"Deal"

"You coming down to breakfast now?"

"Yeah ok. You find me something to wear and I'll dress the baby"

Hermione took Shia back into the nursery and dressed her in a plain white suit before wrapping her tightly in a pink blanket and going back to her room. Kellie had a pair of jeans out for her and she put them on with a blue tank top. She then proceeded to examine herself in the mirror. She only had a slight bulge left around her hips, nothing she couldn't get rid of with a hard work out.

Narcissa and Draco were both sitting at the mahogany dining table eating breakfast when Hermione entered with Shia.

Draco automatically held out his arms for her and Hermione didn't hesitate to hand her over.

"You can get up to her tonight, Draco" Narcissa stated sharply as Hermione sat down and reached for the cornflakes. "Do you know what time Hermione was up until last night, the poor girl?"

"Three thirty" Malfoy replied softly, meeting Hermione's eyes across the table. Narcissa blinked.

"How did you know?"

"I heard her go past"

Narcissa shook her head and looked at her watch.

"I have to go into town for a while. Hermione would you like to come and get some baby clothes? Draco can stay here with Shia."

"Sure" Hermione patted her pockets and stood up. "I'll just go get my purse…"

"Here" Malfoy reached into his own pocket and pulled out a wad of cash before handing it to Hermione.

"Thanks" she said slowly, giving him an odd look before exiting the room. She found Kellie in the parlour and invited her along. Kellie was ecstatic and she jumped up and followed Hermione out to the waiting Limo. Charlie was already there with a large black man called Harley whom Hermione knew as Narcissa's bodyguard. Narcissa joined them several minutes later wearing tight jeans and a purple dress-like shirt.

"The locals are less likely to look if you wear the same thing as them," she explained as they drove into town. Once they had parked in the main street Narcissa looked at her watch again.

"Draco gave you enough money? Good, spend it all, god knows he doesn't need it… we'll meet back here in two hours…ta!" Narcissa set off at a brisk pace with Harley not far behind. Hermione watched her go before turning and leading Kellie and Charlie in the opposite direction. It wasn't long before they found a department store with a whole floor dedicated to babies and toddlers.

Hermione set out buying practically everything in sight and it was only when the shop assistant realised she had money to spend and tried to sell her a fully motorised car for children did she hit the street again loaded down with bags.

"Oh, come in here!" Kellie said, pointing to a Chanel store before pulling Hermione inside. "I want to get my sister a present. It's her birthday in a few weeks"

"How olds your sister?" Hermione asked conversationally, looking through a rack of dresses.

"She's turning twenty"

"Aren't you turning twenty this year?"

"Yes. We're twins"

"Why didn't you say so!" Hermione whirled around, grabbed a short blue dress with frills around the base and held it up to Kellie. "What do you think? It brings out the colour in your eyes"

"Yes and it also costs two thousand dollars!"

"Well I'm buying it for you. Happy birthday"

"Well I hope your buying something for yourself as well!" Kellie said, snatching the dress from Hermione and slinging in across Charlie's arm. Hermione turned and began sorting through the dresses again, finally picking out a hot red one that had spaghetti straps, a low cut cleavage and fell to just above her knees where it fanned out in little tassels.

"Oh that is _hot_!" Kellie said, stepping back to admire it. "It needs a handbag though. Here" she pulled Hermione to the other side of the store and began picking up handbags and holding them to the dress to match the colour.

After paying at the Chanel store, they went to several more clothes stores before retiring back to the car, so loaded p with shopping that Charlie had to carry several of their bags.

Narcissa arrived a few minutes later in a flourish of bags and accessories. Poor Harley was behind her carrying two large tins of paint under each arm.

"I've decided to re-do my study" Narcissa explained joyously when she noticed the dumb-founded look on Hermione's face.

"Yeah, right"

Back at the palace Hermione was unable to find Malfoy or Shia anywhere. When she asked Narcissa she was told to check the basement.

"Draco turned the basement into a gym a few years ago" Narcissa explained, sloshing bright purple paint on the already green wall of the study. "He spends all his time down there with the boys."

Hermione found Charlie on the way down and he showed her the way to the basement.

The basement was a cross between a gym and a pub. On one side was an oak bar fit with a fridge and bar stools. On the wall furthest from the door was a large TV fit with surround sound equipment. On the other side of the room was an array of gym equipment.

Malfoy was poised in front of a large red punching bag; hitting it hard with fast, accurate fists. Bruce was holding the punching bag steady and counting his punches. Anik was on the floor doing push-ups and what Hermione could gather from his breathless counting; he had already reached one hundred and ten. Mark was sitting at the bar with a coke watching his surroundings with a blithesome grin.

"Where's Shia?" Hermione asked, stepping into the room. Without looking up, Malfoy pointed to a corner hidden by the bar where a bassinet was set up. Hermione went over to it and peered down at her sleeping daughter.

"She's been asleep all morning," Malfoy said finally when he'd reached one hundred punches.

"That's good" Hermione said absentmindedly, her eyes transfixed on the red punching bag. "Hey" she said suddenly "will you teach me how to punch?"

Malfoy laughed but beckoned her over all the same. Bruce went to sit beside Mark, an amused expression on his once handsome face.

"Punch it" Malfoy said simply, holding the bag still for her. Hermione shrugged and drew her arm back.

"What about the metal?" Anik asked without so much as a pause in his workout.

"Metal?" Hermione let her hand drop as her eyes widened in shock.

"Oh" Malfoy gave the bag a spin then stopped it and ran his fingers down a seam. It opened and he pulled out a flat metal bar.

"You punch that thing?" Hermione asked incredulously, watching as Malfoy tossed the bar to one side and seeled the seam.

"Course I do. I gotta work out some how"

"By punching a metal bar"

"Yes. Now are you going to hit it?"

Even without the bar there Hermione felt pain shoot through her fist when it connected with the bag.

"Jesus Christ! What is that thing made of, stone?"

Malfoy let go of the bag and came and stood beside her.

"Hold your arm like this," he explained softly, running his hand along her arm and straightening it. "Hit the bag with this part of your fist so you don't break your knuckles. When you hit it, put all your weight behind the swing then when you make contact, twist your fist like this" he gave her fist a sharp twist then stood back. Hermione drew her arm once more and punched the bag. This time it didn't hurt so much and it even rocked a little. She drew back to punch it again.

"It was nice having you in bed last night" Malfoy whispered in her ear with a daunting, teasing voice. Hermione faltered slightly and almost missed the bag.

"It was nice being in bed," she whispered back, despite the fact that his closeness was sending shivers up and down her spine. She hit the bag again.

"Hit it harder, Granger"

"I can't hit it harder!"

"Picture the bag as someone's face"

"Whose face?"

"What about Weasley"

Hermione stopped and looked at him.

"Why on earth would I want to hit Ron?"

Malfoy shrugged. "I do"

"Yeah well. Ron's my friend"

"Well you have to hate someone"

"No I don't"

"Yes you do"

"Why don't I just picture your face? Or better yet, why don't I turn around and hit you?"

"Go on then"

Hermione turned to face him. "What?"

"Hit me. I dare you" he smirked and raised an eyebrow.

"I can't hit you," she said after a moment's hesitation.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't hate you"

"It's got nothing to do with hate. Here" he swung around and kicked out at Anik, who was still working out on the floor. Anik turned sharply in mid push-up and grabbed Malfoy's ankle.

"No you don't," he said, giving it a twist and pulling Malfoy to the ground. Malfoy managed to tug his leg free and the two men began to wrestle. Hermione rolled her eyes and turned back to the punching bag.

Though he didn't acknowledge it for the rest of the day, Malfoy stood true to his mother's orders and got up with Hermione that night to tend to Shia. For the next week they settled into a routine of taking turns to get up to her.

It was just after dark on the Friday of the first week home when Hermione found Draco hard at work in his private study. She'd just had trouble getting Shia to sleep and was feeling slightly exasperated and in need of a break. By the frustrated creases on Malfoy's face, Hermione could tell he needed one too.

"What are you doing?" she asked absently, perching on the edge of his desk and peering, without interest, at the stack of papers in front of him.

"Signing contracts," he answered without missing a beat.

"That's a lot of contracts. Don't you have an advisor who sorts through them all?"

"He already has. These are the most important ones. I haven't even started on the unimportant pile"

"How long will it take?"

"Until next week if I work twenty-four seven. But at the rate I'm going it will take until next year"

"No it wont" Narcissa entered the room wearing paint covered overalls. It hadn't taken Hermione long to realise that Narcissa had made a hobby out of decorating and every room in the palace was decorated at least once a year.

"What are you talking about" Malfoy asked, slightly harassed. Narcissa moved over behind him and began running her fingers through his hair.

"It wont take you long. Why don't you stop for a while? How about the two of you go out for the night? I heard there's a good band playing at the club your always going to. What's it called?"

"Punk 24" Malfoy answered.

"That's the one. Why don't you take Hermione out for a night on the town? You both need to get out for a while"

"What about Shia?" Hermione asked, quite tempted at the thought of going out.

"I'll look after her tonight. It wont be any trouble at all! Go!"

Hermione and Draco met eyes across the pile of papers.

"Are you sure Shia can stay here?" Hermione asked uncertainly.

"Of course! Now go and get ready!"

Malfoy raised an eyebrow as if to say 'I'm game' and Hermione grinned.

"I'll be ready in five"

_Aeh it's a pleasure to meet you  
Ya look like one incredible creature  
Wanna treat you fine  
Lets dance and grind  
Get so funk-inflicted it's a crime  
You're divine you're sublime  
And well you blow my mind_

_Well not much happened in that chapter but the next one will be quite interesting… _

_PS. Sorry I haven't updated for a while. My account was suspended._


	15. Something warm and tender

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter fifteen 

Twenty minutes later Hermione was digging through her makeup bag in search of her eyeliner. Malfoy appeared at her door dressed in baggy jeans and a plain white shirt.

"Are you ready?" he asked, watching with amusement as Hermione applied her makeup.

"I haven't done my hair," she said in exasperation.

"What's wrong with it?"

Hermione turned to look at him with disgust. His hair was messy and wet after just being washed. It was quite cute but Hermione wasn't about to tell him that.

"Just brush it so we can go"

Hermione twirled and stared at herself in the mirror. She was wearing her new red Chanel dress, red shoes with small heels and her new handbag. She ran a brush through her hair and grabbed a handful of silver bracelets before following Malfoy out the door. Narcissa was waiting for them in the parlour with a small box.

"Hermione, I want you to wear this" she said, opening the box and showing them a beautiful necklace of silver and diamonds.

"Oh but what if I lose it?" Hermione asked as Narcissa fastened it around her neck. The diamonds cascaded down her chest to the top of her breast like a glittering waterfall.

"You wont. It's charmed to it will always come back to its owner" Narcissa admired it for a moment before whirling on the spot to pick up a camera.

"Right, photo time! Where's Shia?"

Kellie bought Shia into the room and handed her to Hermione.

"Stand a bit closer, Draco" Narcissa snapped. Draco moved in and rested his head on Hermione's. They both grinned as Narcissa took the photo then they were on their way.

There was a huge line up outside Punk 24 and the crowd had to be held back by two bouncers. A large sign near the door caught Hermione's eye: eighteen plus.

"We're not allowed in. we're underage" she said as Malfoy pulled her past the line to the door.

"We're Royal" he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We can do anything"

"Isn't that abusing our power?"

"Of course not. There's no harm in personal gain. Evening Gavin" they stopped in front of one of the bouncers.

"Evening Draco. Where are your bodyguards?"

"They are…" Malfoy turned and looked down the empty street

"We're here" Bruce and Charlie appeared practically out of nowhere, making Hermione jump.

"Right-o in you go" Gavin opened the door and let the foursome in. they rode an elevator down to the club and were met by loud but pleasant music. Hermione looked over at the stage to see who was playing.

"Oh my god! Matchbox 20! I love them!"

"See. No harm in personal gain" Malfoy grinned, linked his arm through hers and led her to the bar. Hermione looked around. Charlie and Bruce had disappeared again.

"Two Vodkas on the rocks" Malfoy said to a bar lady and sat down.

"_Now_ you're abusing the power"

"No I'm not!"

"Well how far would you go before it becomes abusive?"

"Until someone gets hurt. Now drink!"

Hermione swirled her glass and took a sip. The vodka burnt down her throat and into her stomach, making her cough. Malfoy rubbed her back and laughed, downing his drink in one go.

"Have another one" he said when she finally finished her first. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Are you trying to seduce me with alcohol?" she asked, already feeling slightly sideways after her first drink.

"Maybe" he said and ordered another one.

"Time to dance" she said when they'd polished off a third drink. Malfoy shrugged, took her hand and let her pull him to the dance floor just as a relatively slow song started up. Hermione fell against Malfoy with a smile on her face.

"I love this song"

_Slow dancing on the boulevard _

_In the quiet moments while the city's still dark_

_Sleepwalking through the summer rain and the tired spaces _

_You could hear her name when she was warm and tender_

_And you held her arms around you_

_There was nothing but her love and affection_

_She was crazy for you_

_Now she's part of something that you lost_

"It is nice" Malfoy said softly, pulling her closer.

_And for all you know_

_This could be_

_The difference between what you need_

_And what you wanna be_

_Yeah, what you wanna be_

"It's a bit sad though" Hermione turned her head so she could look at the lead singer, Rob Thomas.

_Night swimming in her diamond dress_

_Making small circles move across the surface_

_Stand watching from the steady shore _

_Feeling wide open and waiting for_

_Something warm and tender_

_Now she's moving further from you_

_There was nothing that could make it easy on you_

_Every step you take reminds you that she's walking wrong_

"I cried the first time I heard it"

_Yeah, for all you know_

_This could be_

_The difference between what you need_

_And what you want_

_Every word you never said _

_Echoes down your empty hallway_

_And everything that was your world _

_Just came down_

Malfoy took her chin in his hand and tilted her head back so he could look at her.

_Day breaking on the boulevard_

_Feel the sun warming up your second hand heart_

_Light swimming right across your face_

_And you think maybe someday, yeah_

_Maybe someday._

Hermione grinned at the serious look on his face then leant up and kissed him.

_For all you know_

_Yeah, this could be_

_The difference between what you need_

_And what you want _

_Yeah, for all you know_

_For all you know_

_Yeah, for all that you know_

_This is what you wanna be_

_Girl, what you wanna be_

The song ended and the crowd around them cheered, though they didn't hear it. They were to wrapped up in each other to bother with cheering.

They kissed their way through two more songs before Malfoy pulled away, quite reluctantly, and suggested they get another drink.

Hermione went to find a table while Malfoy went back to the bar. Not even a minute after sitting down she was joined by a men with a receding hair line and bulging eyes. He looked to be forty or over.

"Evening little lady," he said, staring blatantly at her breasts. "Can I get you a drink?"

"Ah… no thanks" she smiled and looked over her shoulder for Malfoy.

"Aw come on. I already got you one"

Hermione turned to look at him. He was grinning and pushing a glass towards her. She looked down at it and saw something dissolving in the bottom. What did this idiot take her for? Did he really think she was stupid enough to drink it? She smiled all the same.

"You have it"

"I don't drink scotch," he said, pushing it a little closer.

"Neither do I" Hermione glanced around again. Where was Malfoy?

"Please drink it, I bought it for you"

"I don't want it!" she stood up to walk away and he grabbed her wrist. Hermione swivelled on the spot and punched him, just as Malfoy had taught her to.

"Argh! You little…" he grabbed at her again.

"I wouldn't do that" Malfoy appeared between them, looking furious. The man did a double take on the teenager in front of him and he gasped.

"My-my lord." He turned and ran away.

"Lets go" Malfoy muttered, taking her hand and leading her towards the exit.

"What an asshole" Hermione hissed as they rode the elevator back up to the street. Malfoy looked at her and smirked.

"That was a good punch"

"I was taught by the best"

"Why thank you" he swooped down and kissed her.

Back on the street they wandered around for a while, looking at shops, sharing jokes and snogging whenever they thought no one was looking.

"So where do you want to go now?" Malfoy asked later that night. Hermione did a little twirl, loving the feel of the tassels swirling around her legs.

"I don't know. This is your town, where do you want to go?"

Before he could answer, a young man came running up, brandishing a newspaper.

"Here, hold this, hold this," he stammered, thrusting the paper in Hermione's face. She tried to push it away and at the same time she felt a jerk at her neck, as the diamond necklace was pulled free. The man dropped the paper and made a run for it. He'd barely gone five meters when a jet of red light hit him. He fell to the ground, stunned.

Charlie emerged from the dark, wand in hand. Bruce was right behind him. The four of them circled around the fallen man. Bruce kicked him over with his foot.

"You got him in the face" he said casually to Charlie. "I owe you a hundred pounds"

Malfoy reached down and plucked the necklace from the man's clenched hand. He turned and looked at Hermione.

"You ok?"

"Yeah… I think so" she raised a shaking hand and rubbed her neck. Malfoy moved forward and reattached the jewellery to her throat.

"Lets go"

Hermione looked back at the man but Charlie seemed to be dealing with him so she took Malfoy's hand and followed him along the street.

They walked for a long time until they turned a corner and found themselves looking out over the dark ocean.

Hermione grinned and pulled her shoes off. Malfoy copied her and, with a sudden adrenaline rush, they ran down onto the sand, Hermione in the lead.

Malfoy caught up to her and grabbed her around the waist, making her squeal in delight. He spun her around and kissed her passionately and hungrily.

Hermione pulled away with a giggle and danced away across the sand. Malfoy chased her again, this time grabbing her and pinning her to the ground beneath him.

"Cant get away now, can you," he said breathlessly with a smirk.

Hermione began to wiggle out from beneath him and he pressed down harder on her wrists so she couldn't move.

_-And you held her arms around you_

_There was nothing but her love and affection_

_She was crazy for you-_

Hermione twisted her whole body so Malfoy fell off her. She was now on top with him pinned beneath her. She grinned.

_-Feeling wide open and waiting for_

_Something warm and tender_

_Now she's moving further from you_

_There was nothing that could make it easy on you-_

"Now your where you should be" she giggled, swept down on him with a brief kiss then got up and took of down the beach at a run. Malfoy watched her go and he couldn't help remembering the words in the song that they had danced to in the club.

_-Feel the sun warming up your second hand heart_

_Light swimming right across your face_

_And you think maybe someday, yeah-_

Hermione's figure disappeared from sight around a rocky outcrop. Malfoy got to his feet and followed her. He found her sitting in the sand, knees drawn to her chest and bathed in silver moonlight. She was smiling ever so gently as she stared out to sea.

_And the moment that you lose yourself  
you wish that you were someone else  
and the only thing that comes apart  
to take respond from were we start._

_Well I hope you enjoyed that because Hermione's life is about to become quite turbulent…_

_The song that was mentioned throughout this chapter is called THE DIFFERENCE by matchbox 20._

_It's a really good song and I urge anyone who downloads music or listens to matchbox 20 to get it and tell me what you think…._

_Just another note… I'm going on my yr ten excursion to Sydney this week so I wont be able to update or check my email so I hope there will be lots of reviews waiting when I get back!_

_Cheers…_


	16. I'll be back

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter sixteen 

Malfoy sat down beside her and waited for her to speak. He knew she was going to. He could sense it. Sure enough…

"Do you remember the last time we were near the ocean?" she asked in a dreamy voice. "I had just decided to get that abortion"

"It was also when I realised that I wanted to keep her"

Hermione looked around at him, eyes wide.

"You did? You knew all that time and you still made me go through hell?"

"I was trying to do the right thing"

Hermione sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Well you made the right decision in the end, didn't you"

"Yes… do you ever regret having Shia?"

Hermione stayed quite for a moment, staring out at the hypnotic waves.

"No I don't. I get frustrated with her but I've never regretted having her"

"Do you regret me being the father?"

"Never" she answered instantly. "You've been there for me through the entire thing. I couldn't think of someone better to be her father"

Draco turned and kissed Hermione's temple.

"You ready to go home?" he asked and stood up. She nodded and let him pull her up.

They walked at a leisurely pace back to where they had left their shoes.

With one last sweet kiss with the oceanic scenery, they went home.

The palace was dark when they actually reached it and they wasted no time at all in creeping upstairs to Malfoy's bedroom.

He pushed her back against the bed and sent a trail of soft kisses down her neck and across her collarbone. Her lips parted in an unwilling moan as he began pulling her dress straps away from her shoulders.

Very suddenly, and quite unexpectedly, she froze and pushed Malfoy away.

"What? What's wrong?" he asked, sitting back and giving her space.

"Don't you remember what happened last time we…" she trailed off, blushing. Malfoy grinned and reached across her to a drawer in his bedside cabinet. He extracted a condom wrapped in a shiny green packet.

"Is that enough or do you need more?"

It was Hermione's turn to grin.

"I'm on the pill. I think it'll be enough" she pushed him down on the bed, straddled him and proceeded to rip off his clothes.

Hermione, dressed in nothing but her bra and knickers, cuddled up to Draco and sighed.

"That was nice," she whispered, tracing the contours of his chest.

"Only nice?" he asked, nipping her neck teasingly.

"Ok it was fabulous."

"That's more like it" Draco stretched his arms up then put them behind his head. He was wearing a pair of plain black silk boxers. They had both gotten dressed afterwards in case someone decided to come running in.

Shia's cries could suddenly be heard from the monitor beside Malfoy's bed. Hermione sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"Where are you going?" Draco asked, grabbing her arm and pulling her back.

"I have to get Shia"

"No you don't. Mum has her tonight."

Hermione paused and sure enough, about ten seconds later, she heard Narcissa's voice cooing Shia into silence over the monitor. Draco rolled over and turned the machine off before pulling Hermione back into the circle of his arms.

Warm and content, they drifted off to sleep.

Hermione woke sharply the next morning when the bedroom door crashed open and Narcissa came running in, her face white with terror.

"Draco, he's here, he's come!" she said. Draco sat up sharply, his face going as white as his mothers. "Draco, you have to get Shia out of here. I'll hold him off" Narcissa left as quickly as she had come and Draco rolled out of bed and pulled on his jeans from the night before.

"Who's coming?" Hermione asked, pulling on her Chanel dress.

"My father" he replied shortly. "C'mon" not bothering with a shirt, he grabbed Hermione's hand and together they ran down the hall to Hermione's room and the nursery.

"I thought he was in jail!" Hermione said frantically, grabbing a blanket and wrapping Shia in it.

"He must have broken out" Draco ran into Hermione's bedroom to collect and scatterings of toys and baby things. Charlie entered the room pulling Kellie with Anik and Bruce right behind. Hermione handed Shia to Charlie.

"Take her to the Weasley's" she ordered. Charlie hesitated.

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine! Please, just get Shia out of here" Charlie turned on the spot and apparated.

"Stay in here with Anik. I'll go talk to him. Hopefully he'll leave." Draco dropped the toys and things on the floor of the nursery then he and Bruce left, pulling the tapestry closed behind them.

"Where's Mark?" Hermione asked, pulling the tapestry back a little so she could see.

"He's with Harley and Narcissa"

"And why are you here?"

"Because Lucius doesn't know about me. He doesn't know about this room, either. It's best to keep things like that a secret as long as possible"

Hermione nodded and peered out into her bedroom. She could see through her room and out into the hall. Draco and Bruce were standing either side of the door, waiting for Lucius to come.

"I don't know anything about a baby, Lucius. Would you please leave!" Narcissa appeared in the doorway, pleading with her enraged husband. Harley and Mark were nowhere to be seen.

"Shut up, you silly woman! I'm here for Draco and the child."

"There is no child!"

"I said shut up!" Lucius swung out at his wife. Draco sprang from behind the door and grabbed Lucius' arm before it could come down. Bruce stepped out and secretly pulled Narcissa away.

"What are you doing here?" Draco hissed at his father, fury etched in every line of his handsome face. Anik stepped up beside Hermione so he could see as well.

"I'm here for the child, Draco"

"What child?"

"Don't play stupid" Lucius sneered, pulling out his wand and pointing it at Draco. "I'm here for you child"

"I don't have a child, you brainless prick, now get out of my house."

Bruce pulled out his own wand and trained it on Lucius' chest.

"You heard him, Lucius. Get out and I wont kill you"

"I have a handful of death eaters at my command downstairs. I can summon them in the blink of an eye, are you really stupid enough to try it, Bruce?"

Back in the nursery Hermione drew her own wand.

"I reckon I can hit him from here…"

"Don't" Anik pushed her hand down. "Not until you have to"

Dumbledore suddenly appeared behind Lucius and Hermione almost screamed in surprise.

"Hello, Lucius, pleasure to see you again"

Lucius jumped and span around.

"D-Dumbledore, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, I just thought I'd drop in for a chat. You weren't in your jail cell so I could only presume you were here" Dumbledore said pleasantly. Lucius swung around to face his son.

"You called him here, didn't you? Your just as weak as the rest of them…" Lucius seemed quite oblivious to the shocked look on Draco's face.

"I know you have a child here somewhere, Draco. And I'm going to come back for it" Lucius gave his son a harsh shove before apparating on the spot. Dumbledore disappeared half a second later.

Draco stared at the spot for a moment before slumping back against the wall.

Hermione ran out into her room and grabbed her trunk.

"Kellie, pack Shia's things" she instructed, throwing her own clothes into her trunk.

"What happened?" Narcissa asked Draco, moving forward and putting her hand on his forehead.

"He was trying to use Occlumency."

Narcissa bit her lip and stepped away.

"He knocked Harley and Mark out from behind. I'll go and wake them"

"I'll come with you" Bruce said with a quick glance at Hermione before following Narcissa. Anik wasn't far behind them.

Draco turned and watched Hermione throwing schoolbooks into her bag before straightening up and blocking the doorway.

"Your coming back, aren't you?" he asked in what sounded like a scared voice.

"I don't know. I'm going to go and stay with the Weasley's for a while. I can't let something like this happen again. Shia is in danger here, Lucius could come back"

"He wont come back"

"He might"

"Please don't go"

Hermione closed her trunk and pulled it over to the door. Draco blocked her path, looking down at her with pleading eyes.

"I'm going for a few days. Just until I feel safe again." She kissed him, short and sweet before taking her trunk downstairs.

Kellie joined her a few minutes later with her own trunk and a small suitcase for Shia.

"How are you getting there?" Malfoy asked entering the room behind Kellie.

"We'll apparate," Hermione said defiantly, checking over her belongings to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. "I know how to. I've done it before"

"I'll kill him, you know that? He can't do this to us then live."

Hermione straightened up, horrified at Draco's words.

"Dumbledore'll catch him and send him back to Azkaban."

"I'm still going to kill him. He's been giving me shit all my life and I'm sick of it!"

"Please" Hermione put her hand on his cheek and forced him to look at her. "Don't do anything to… Rational. Shia still needs her father and she can't have that if you're locked up in your fathers place"

"Fine" he said after a moment's silence. "But I'm going to triple the security of this place"

Hermione smiled and kissed him. "I'll see you later."

"Come back soon" he pleaded seconds before she apparated.

_Oh chariot your golden waves  
are walking down upon this face  
Oh chariot I'm singing out loud  
To guide me  
Give me your…  
Strength_

_Well I'm back… Sydney was great. The reviews were fab and now you get to do it again! Now I know Hermione might have gone through hell in that chappie but that's nothing compared to what's coming in the next few…_

_ENJOY!_


	17. who wants to know?

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter seventeen 

The summer sunshine was blazing beautifully across the burrow. Several plump hens were scratching around in the grass in front of the small house. The only thing disturbing the beauty and peace was an indignant voice, yelling from within. Hermione could hear it as she and Kellie walked slowly up the garden path and, as they reached the front door, she made it out to be Ron's. Hermione knocked on the door then glanced at Kellie who was looking up at the house with much distaste.

"Its only for a day or so" Hermione promised apologetically as someone approached the door from inside. "Then I'll see if we can go home to Orkney"

Ginny answered the door looking, worried, frustrated and relieved all at once.

"Oh Hermione" she said, opening the door wider so the two girls could come in. "he's been at it since Charlie arrived with Shia. You have to shut him up"

Hermione stood outside the kitchen door so she could hear what Ron was yelling about.

"-Nerve of him! I can't believe he showed up! I'll bet that Malfoy put him up to it… well next time I see him I will kill him! I don't care what Hermione says, he cant be that good a fighter if something like this can happen…"

Hermione slammed the door open and stormed into the kitchen. Only Harry and Charlie were present for Ron's tantrum. Before Ron even had time to acknowledge her presence, she punched him, hard as she could, in the jaw.

"Bloody hell, Hermione!" he shouted, falling back against the kitchen counter. "How the hell did you learn to do that?"

"Draco taught me" she said haughtily "and if I can learn that in twenty minutes then imagine what he knows after years of training! He went easy on you last time, Ron. Now he's pissed, do you really think he won't stop at killing you?"

Ron fell silent and Hermione took this as a sign that she had won.

"What happened?" Charlie asked, relieved that Ron had finally stopped.

"Dumbledore showed up and chased him off" Hermione turned to Harry who looked as if he had just woken up. "Harry, why did Dumbledore show up?"

"He put a charm on Shia" Harry mumbled, staring out the window with a vacant expression on his face. "I had a feeling something like this might happen so I got Dumbledore to put a protection spell on her which meant that every time she was in danger Dumbledore would sense it and go to her."

"How did you think to do that?" Hermione asked, glancing at Ron who was rubbing his jaw and mumbling darkly to himself.

"Because Dumbledore has one on me"

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Harry and studied his tired face.

"Harry, are you alright? You look like hell"

"Harry went out last night," Ginny said with a smirk. "Out wandering the countryside with Dumbledore. Didn't get in until about three this morning"

"Where did you go with Dumbledore?" Hermione asked interestedly. Harry gave her a strange look but stayed quite.

""He wont tell us," Ron said as Molly appeared at the door.

"Oh Hermione!" she said, running forward to give her a hug. "I was so worried, are you alright?"

"I'm fine Mrs Weasley, thank you"

"Now, I've just put Shia down in the twins room and I presumed you were staying a while so I set up the boys bed for you and –Kellie, is it? - So you two can share. Charlie can have Percy's room."

"Thank you" Hermione said weakly.

"I'm going back to bed," Harry said quite suddenly, pushing his chair back and running up the stairs.

"I might just go check on Shia" Hermione mumbled, giving Kellie's hand a sharp tug. The two of them made their way slowly up the stairs until they reached the twins bedroom.

Kellie looked around the room with a disgusted look on her face.

"You'll learn to love it" Hermione sighed as she went over to the old crib that Molly had set up. Shia was awake and simply staring at the ceiling.

"Hey beautiful" Hermione cooed. Shia's bright blue eyes darted over and settled on her mothers face.

Hermione fed her quickly before falling on top of her bed for a quick sleep. After all she had had a late night.

Hermione knew that neither Charlie nor Kellie liked staying at the Weasley's place. It was small, cramped and someone was always yelling so Hermione tried to get them out as much as possible by going for long walks in the dazzling morning sunshine. She would push Shia along in a stroller and Kellie and Charlie would walk either side of her.

Kellie and Molly didn't shine to each other, either. Molly was always telling Kellie how to do things like tuck sheets in so they wouldn't come out and how to sweep from the back of the room to the front. She always seemed to forget that Kellie was a trained maid for Royalty.

And on top of all that, Harry was going out every night. At about ten Dumbledore would come to the door and they'd apparate together before returning at around three or four in the morning. And Harry still refused to tell anyone where he had been.

It was on their third day there when Hermione, Kellie, Charlie and Shia were out on their walk, the sun shining brilliantly from above though weather forecast predicted storms for later.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a brown owl swooped on them and brandished a leg for Charlie to take a letter.

With a sideways glance at Hermione, he unfolded the letter and read it quickly. He smiled and handed it to Hermione.

_Charlie,_

_We just heard about the disturbance at the Malfoy manor. Bring the girls home immediately._

_Alfred._

"Looks like we're going home" Hermione said, passing the note onto Kellie.

About an hour later Hermione was in Fred and Georges room packing her belonging when Ginny appeared at the door looking wistful.

"Please stay. I'll be so bored without you"

"It's too crowded here. And anyway, you can come visit me at the castle any time you like"

"But it wont be the same" the redheaded girl whined.

"Stop it, Ginny" Hermione scolded, tossing a pile of nappies into her trunk. "You sound like a sick cat"

Ginny couldn't help but chuckle.

"You know Herm? You look fantastic. It's like you were never pregnant at all"

"Thank you"

"Especially when you showed up the other day in the gorgeous dress and punched Ron. Hilarious"

"Yeah" she wished Ginny would stop. She was being reminded of Draco and she didn't want to think about him right now.

"Where did you get the dress from, anyway?"

"Here, you can have it. It's not my type of dress, anyway." Hermione grabbed the red dress from the top of her bed and tossed it to an awed Ginny.

Ginny examined it for a moment before letting out a gasp.

"This is a Chanel dress! It must have costed thousands!"

"It did so treasure it, it's your birthday present for the next ten years"

"Oh my god, thank you!" she squealed and ran downstairs to show her mother.

Hermione sighed and dragged her trunk across the floor to take it downstairs. Outside her door she ran into Harry who was just getting out of bed.

"Here, let me help" he said, hoisting the trunk off the ground and down the stairs.

Hermione admired his strength for a moment before following.

"So where'd you go last night, Harry?" she asked conversationally, knowing he wouldn't tell her.

"Into London" he said. Hermione paused. Not knowing whether to press on or not. Harry seemed to guess this because he turned and gave her a sharp look.

"No more. Your not supposed to know…yet"

The Weasley's, Hermione, Harry, Charlie and Kellie were sitting in the small lounge room, letting everyone have a last cuddle of Shia before they left when the was a sharp knock on the door.

"I'll get it" Harry said, standing up and pulling out his wand. Dumbledore had taught him to never be too careful.

Half a minute later Harry's voice carried back to the lounge room.

"Hermione, it's for you"

Hermione stood up quickly and left the room followed closely by a nosy Ron and Ginny.

Standing at the door in front of Harry was Draco.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked, quite shocked to see him standing there.

"Yeah" Ron said loudly from behind her. "Piss off before one of us hex you!"

"Ron!" Hermione said, stepping over to stand beside Draco. "Don't forget who put that bruise on your face. C'mon. We can talk out here"

Draco paused and looked Ron over with loathsome eyes. His lips slowly curled into a smirk.

"You can't seriously tell me you were bashed by a girl, Weasel-Bee. God your…"

"Stop" Hermione cut him off and pulled him outside into the front yard.

"What are you doing here?" she asked again.

"I want you to come home" he said, suddenly serious. "I can't stand having you so far away, and I cant bare not seeing Shia everyday."

"We're going back to my parents place" Hermione said softly, as if this might offer him some comfort. "We're actually about to leave now. You can come and visit us there any time you like"

"So there's no chance of you coming back to my place," he asked dejectedly.

"We both knew that me living with you was only temporary. You said it yourself: until my parents come around. Well they've come around so we're going home"

He stared at her a moment then smiled lightly.

"You know I'd kiss you right now but…" he jerked his head towards the little house where Ron was watching them from the kitchen window.

"Oh he is unbelievable!" Hermione suddenly sighed then grabbed Malfoy by the front of the shirt and pulled him into a deep kiss.

Ron disappeared from the window as Malfoy pulled away grinning.

"See you tomorrow" he said before apparating. Ron appeared at the door.

"Hermione!" he called sharply and she turned and walked towards him. "Why didn't you tell me you were a couple?"

"Because we aren't, Ron" she answered shortly, walking swiftly back to the lounge room.

"Then what was that out there?"

"We had an audience, had to give them something to talk about" Ron blushed and Hermione turned away from him. "Are we ready to go?"

Hermione, Shia, Kellie and Charlie took a portkey back to the castle. The first thing Hermione noticed upon landing on the soft green grass was the buzzing atmosphere of the place. Maintenance was being done to the grounds to make them ship shape and, when they entered the building, they found maids and butlers scurrying around cleaning and neatening everything.

"Hermione!" Alfred came dashing out of the dining room, arms wide. He embraced both Hermione and Shia as one then he lifted his granddaughter into his own arms and admired her.

"What's going on here?" Hermione asked, preying to god that there wasn't going to be a party the night she was settling in.

"We're having guests," Clarisse said, appearing at the bottom of the stairs dressed in a pale blue summer dress.

"How many guests?" Hermione asked wearily, watching as Kellie levitated their trunks upstairs.

"Just one"

"Just one? Who is it?"

"Chaise Wood" Clarisse twirled a lock of her hair around her finger and stared at Shia, though she didn't ask to hold her. "His parents are going to Australia for a holiday so we decided to let him stay here"

"How old is he? Can he do magic?" Hermione guessed, by the way they were talking about him, Chaise must be about ten or eleven.

"He's seventeen and yes, he is a wizard." Alfred said as Shia began to whine. Seventeen? Hermione raised her eyebrow and took her daughter back. She turned around to face Charlie. What she saw shocked her: Charlie's face was set in a cold hard expression. His fists were clenched and he was glaring at Clarisse.

"Charlie?" Hermione asked hesitantly. Charlie gave his head a little shake and looked around at Hermione.

"I have to go," he said quickly. "Don't leave the castle until I get back. Got that?"

Hermione nodded numbly and Charlie turned sharply and strode out of the room.

"What's the matter with him?" Alfred asked, utterly perplexed.

"I'm not sure," Hermione said thoughtfully, giving Shia a little jig. "But I have to go and put Shia to bed. She hasn't slept all morning"

Hermione left her parents to their decorating and took Shia up to her room. Kellie was setting up a bassinet while chatting happily to an older maid who was perched on the edge of Hermione's bed. When Hermione entered the room the older maid stood up hastily.

"M'lady"

"Keep talking" Hermione said idly. "I'm just putting Shia down for her nap then I'm going to have a shower."

When Hermione got out of the shower twenty minutes later she found her bedroom empty except for the sleeping baby. Hermione quickly got dressed in a pair of old jeans and a Singlet. She could hear something going on outside so she went to her balcony to investigate. A black stretch limo had pulled up and three people were getting out. Hermione's parents were waiting at the door for them.

"Clarisse!" said a lady with extremely curly red hair. She went up to Hermione's mother and hugged her warmly. "It's wonderful to see you again! It's been so long!"

"Its lovely to see you again too, Kirsten" Clarisse replied pleasantly, returning the hug. "And you, Anton" she moved forward and hugged a scrawny man with dark features.

Hermione listened to their greetings but her eyes were trained on the boy that had just gotten out of the car.

Chaise had pale skin, a snub nose and tight, curly black hair. He was wearing cut-off jeans and a blue polo shirt and was carrying a skateboard under one arm and a guitar case under the other. Hermione could help but be intrigued by this new arrival so she left the balcony and went downstairs.

When she reached the door everyone turned to look at her.

"Ah, this is our daughter, Hermione" Alfred said proudly. Hermione dipped her head in welcome but didn't take her eyes off Chaise. Now that she had come snooping, she could see his features close up. He had a scatter of freckles across his nose and his eyes were a brilliant green. He seemed cute in a badass kind of way.

He noticed Hermione checking him out and he raised an eyebrow as if to say: 'yeah that's right, I'm hot'.

"Well we really must be off" Kirsten said, turning to her son. "Chaise, have you got everything?"

"Yes mother," he said sarcastically with a roll of his vivid eyes.

"Very good. Now you behave and do everything Clarisse and Alfred tell you to, alright?" Kirsten hissed her son then headed back to the limo. Anton said a more gracious goodbye before joining his wife.

"Hermione, will you show Chaise to his room?"

"Sure" Hermione said, not breaking eye contact with the boy. "Which room is it?"

"Right across the hall from yours"

"I've never seen you around before" Hermione said as she led him to his room. She tried to think back to all the parties she'd been to and she was sure she'd remember seeing Chaise there if he was present.

"That's because for the last year I've been taking a vow of silence. I presume you've only been around for a year. I've never seen you either"

"That's right" Hermione said, opening his bedroom door. A vow of silence? She was impressed.

"So where are you from?" Hermione asked, following him into the room. He was quite tall, about the same height as Malfoy though not as filled out around the chest. Chaise turned to look at her. She couldn't believe how green his eyes were.

"Who wants to know?"

_You know you did it  
I'm gone  
To find someone to live for  
In this world  
There's no light at the end of the tunnel tonight  
Just a bridge that I gotta burn  
You're wrong  
If you think you can walk right through my door  
That is just so you  
Coming back when I've finally moved on  
I'm already gone_

_Did you like? Sorry I haven't updated for a while… I've actually written twenty chapters already so I don't have writers block… no… I got a job. I am now officially a checkout chick so I haven't been around to update._

_So… who's this new Chaise bloke? What will Malfoy think of this new arrival, cutting his grass? And where has Charlie gone? You'll just have to wait until I update!_

_Ciao!_


	18. we need Proof

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter eighteen 

Chaise was quite shocked to find out that Hermione had a daughter but he got over it quickly and continued to flirt intemperately with Hermione who wasted no time in flirting back.

The next day Hermione was alone in her room with Shia when Malfoy arrived for his visit. He came into her room grinning.

"How are my girls?"

"They've just woken up" Hermione replied, handing Shia to her father and running her fingers through her unruly hair.

"Hey Hermione" Chaise came into the room looking slightly confused. "Have you seen my guitar pick? Oh, I see your entertaining…" he stopped speaking and smirked at Malfoy.

"Draco this is…"

"Chaise" Draco replied coolly. "Yeah I know, we've met" Hermione looked at the blonde boy and saw that he was staring at Chaise; his eyes cold as ice and his expression set. Hermione was reminded forcibly of Charlie's (who still hadn't returned) behaviour the day before.

"Good to see you again, Draco" Chaise said warmly, looking between Hermione and Malfoy. "So, are you two dating or what?"

Hermione and Malfoy looked at each other, trying to read each other's minds.

"No" Hermione said finally, without breaking the gaze between she and Draco. "Of course we're not"

Something, Hermione wasn't sure what, flashed across Draco's eyes and, if he wasn't holding Shia, Hermione was sure that he would have hit Chaise.

Chaise seemed to know that he'd hit a nerve and he slowly backed out of the room, grinning all the same.

"Why did you tell him that?" Draco asked, placing Shia back in her bassinet and turning his full attention on Hermione. She thought she saw something in his hard expression. Something that reminded her of Lucius.

"Well we aren't really dating, are we?" she argued, wishing he'd leave; he was reminding her to much of his father "I know we had fun but neither of us really asked the other one out, right?"

"Right" Malfoy said blankly and walked away. At the door he paused and looked over his shoulder. "Be careful with him, Hermione. Chaise isn't all he's cracked up to be" then he left.

Chaise came back into the room, walked straight up to Hermione and kissed her.

"So you want to be my girlfriend, Herm?"

Pushing Draco's words out of her mind, Hermione managed to smile.

"Moving a bit quick, aren't we? You only just arrived"

Chaise shrugged. "Life's to short to be waiting for the right moment"

"To shay"

They kissed briefly before Chaise dragged her out the door by the hand.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked, looking back over her shoulder at Shia.

"Lets go find a skate park"

"I cant"

"Why not? Leave Shia here with your maid."

"No it's not that" Hermione bit her lip. "Charlie isn't back. I promised I wouldn't leave the castle until he arrived"

"He's a bodyguard. He can't tell you what to do"

"I trust Charlie. And if he says stay then I stay"

Chaise looked as if he wanted to argue but after seeing the set look on Hermione's face he simply smiled and led her to the parlour where they sat and talked.

Charlie arrived home later that afternoon looking utterly pissed.

"Where'd you go?" Hermione asked, following him from the main room to the kitchen where he got a large bottle of water from a massive silver fridge.

"Never mind" he grumbled, pushing past her and leaving. Hermione watched him go, completely miffed.

Chaise came into the room with his skateboard under his arm.

"Charlie's back. We can go now"

"Gee, nothing gets past you, does it?" Hermione smiled and he bought her into a one armed hug.

Twenty minutes later they were off, driving along in Hermione's convertible with Charlie, still looking pissed, in the back seat.

"So are you going to tell me where you went?" Hermione asked once they reached the skate park. Hermione and Charlie were sitting on a bench watching Chaise ride the half pipe. He was quite a good skater, better than the other teenage boys there, anyway.

"No" Charlie answered bluntly.

"Can I guess?"

"No"

"C'mon, Charlie, what's going on?"

"Nothing important"

"Nothing important! You were gone almost two days!"

"Just leave it, Hermione. If it goes my way you'll find out soon enough"

Hermione frown but said nothing more.

Draco came to visit Shia everyday for the next week. How he did it without Chaise being there, Hermione had no idea but he would show up, sometimes with one of the assassins, sometimes with out, when Chaise had gone to the skate park. He would sit, for an hour or so, simply nursing his daughter. Hermione sometimes tried to talk to him but he had become quite hostile towards her. Then, five minutes before Chaise arrived home, he would depart without a trace.

And to make things worse, Charlie's bad mood didn't lighten and yet he barely left Hermione's side.

The week after that Malfoy stopped coming altogether and Charlie's dark attitude increased.

It was in that same week, on the Thursday night, that Hermione's mother approached her and announced a party for the following night before they left for Australia for a holiday with Chaise' parents. (They told Hermione about the trip the week before)

"It'll be a casual party," Clarisse said, twisting a lock of hair around her finger. "So you can wear whatever you like."

"Ok then" Hermione replied dutifully. She was feeling a bit resentful towards her mother lately. (Clarisse still hadn't held Shia)

The party came on in full swing the next day. Hermione spent the whole morning being pampered and having her hair done by Joe then she spent the afternoon having a sleep with Shia.

It was getting dark when Hermione finally decided to get changed. She put on a matching pair of pink lace bra and undies then pulled on a short, black pleated skirt.

Before she could pull on the flowing blue top that she had purchased the day before, Chaise came crashing in without knocking. When he saw Hermione half naked he stopped.

"Hey, hey" he said, raising an eyebrow and looking her up and down. Hermione suppressed a giggle and watched as he advanced on her.

"I hope your going to the party like that," he said before kissing her softly.

"I think not" Hermione replied, putting her arms around his neck and grinning before kissing him back.

Malfoy appeared at the open door at that moment. "Knock, knock" he said quietly.

"What are you doing here!" Hermione asked, pulling away from Chaise and overing her upper torso with her arms.

"I came to see Shia. It's been a week"

Chaise looked between them and smirked.

"I'll go get ready for the party"

He headed towards the door but stopped beside Malfoy.

"The lady needs to get ready, are you coming, Draco?"

"No" Malfoy replied bluntly

Chaise stared at him and Malfoy stared straight back.

"Just go, Chaise. I'll see you downstairs"

"If that's what you want" Chaise replied hesitantly. Hermione nodded gratefully and he left. Malfoy came into the room.

"Why are you with him?" he demanded, looking into Shia's bassinet while Hermione pulled on her shirt.

"Why would it matter to you?"

Malfoy looked up at her sadly.

"What happened between us, Hermione? One day we were having the time of our lives and the next your hooking up with Chaise"

"What have you got against Chaise, anyway?" Hermione snapped, slyly avoiding his question.

Malfoy opened his mouth to answer then closed it and shook his head. Hermione turned away from him and to the mirror to put on some makeup. In the mirrors reflection she could see him picking Shia up and placing her on Hermione's bed. He then lay down next to her and stared at her. Hermione closed her eyes to clear her thoughts. When she opened them again she found Malfoy watching her with a small smile on his face.

"What?" Hermione asked, meeting his eye through the reflection of the mirror.

"Nothing. Your really pretty, that's all"

"Thank you" she picked up a brush and ran it through her hair. Malfoy continued to watch her.

Eventually Kellie came in with a bottle so she could look after Shia for the night. Hermione and Malfoy left together for the party.

Chaise was waiting at the bottom of the stairs for Hermione and when the couple arrived he slipped between them, linking his arm through his girlfriends. Malfoy dropped back several paces and followed them quietly out to the gardens where several larges tents were set up.

Jolly music was playing and people aged from young teen to middle-aged were dancing and chatting happily. Malfoy disappeared from behind them as Chaise pulled Hermione forward to dance.

Malfoy, in fact, had gone off in search of Frederick. He found the older boy sitting alone at a table watching the mini-bar that had been set up.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" he asked tiredly when the blonde boy sat opposite him.

"He's back," Malfoy said in a low voice, looking around the crowd.

"Who's back?"

"Chaise"

"You're kidding me?" Frederick paled considerably and he glanced over his shoulder. "I thought they took him away"

"They did… now he's back, staying here at the Granger's with Hermione. Is Lilly around?"

"She should be" Frederick bought his eyes back to Draco's "so he's back here, huh? What does Hermione's bodyguard think?"

"He's absolutely furious."

"And why is he at the Granger's?"

"Dunno. But he and Hermione have hooked up… look over there" Malfoy pointed to the dance floor where Hermione and Chaise where no longer dancing but making out.

"Bloody hell" Frederick paled even more. "Bit quick, isn't it? He couldn't have been here that long. And anyway… weren't you with Hermione?"

"I was. I think he might have slipped her a love potion but when it wore off she didn't notice because she was already attracted to him"

"Her parents are going away. We have to get him out of there"

"I agree. But how?"

"Lets just kill him" Frederick made to stand up but Jamie-Lyn came over at that moment and sat down beside Malfoy.

"Did you see? Chaise Wood is back!" she said brightly. "He said he was on a vow of silence"

Malfoy and Frederick glanced at each other darkly.

Lilly joined them minutes later with a smile on her face.

"Just like old times" she said, sitting next to Frederick. "You know, before Princess Granger over there showed up"

"Jamie-Lyn" Frederick said sweetly, "Could you get us some drinks? Four vodkas in soda"

Jamie-Lyn looked slightly disgusted but stood up and left.

"Chaise is back," Frederick said to Lilly. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hand while her eyes widened in horror.

Jamie-Lyn came back with four drinks and handed them out. At the same time Chaise and Hermione walked past, arms wrapped around each other.

"Frederick, good to see you again!" Chaise said jubilantly. Frederick looked like he was going to get up and smash Chaise into the ground. Malfoy kicked him under the table to remind him where he stood.

Hermione looked between Frederick and Malfoy with a quizzical look but neither expression gave anything away. She and Chaise moved on.

Lilly groaned and slumped down in her seat.

"What's up with you?" Jamie-Lyn asked, waving goodbye to Chaise.

"Jamie-Lyn, come dance, aye?" Nigel called. Jamie-Lyn grinned and jumped up. Lilly waited until the other girl was out of earshot before speaking again.

"I think I might go home," she said in a quiet voice. Malfoy reached across and put a hand on her shaking arm.

"He'll be gone before you know it" he assured her. "Trust me, I'm not letting him hang around for much longer"

Lilly nodded and left. Frederick stood up and stretched.

"I'm going to get another drink"

"Whatever"

Frederick went to the bar and ordered another Vodka. While he waited Hermione appeared beside him. He grabbed her arm.

"Hermione, can we talk?"

"No" she answered, trying to pull away. He gripped her wrist even tighter.

"It's really important"

"Let go, Freddie"

"Hermione!"

"Hey! Let her go!" Chaise barged in between them and shoved Frederick away. Frederick shoved him back into the bar. Before the fight could progress any further several Guards came in and broke them apart.

"He's dangerous, Hermione!" Frederick shouted as he was dragged away. The guards eventually let him go when he'd calmed down enough.

The moment the prince was by himself, though, Malfoy rammed him up against the castle wall.

"What the hell are you doing?" the blonde boy hissed, pushing on Frederick's throat with his hand.

"I was trying to warn Hermione!"

"You cant do that! We don't have proof!"

"Well how do we get it, smart ass?" Frederick managed to prise Malfoy's hands off.

"Oh don't you worry" Malfoy smiled humourlessly, "I'll get proof If it's the last thing I do!"

_Every memory of looking out the back door  
I have the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor  
It's hard to say it, time to say it  
Goodbye, goodbye_

Every memory of walking out the front door  
I found the photo of the friend that I was looking for  
It's hard to say it, time to say it  
Goodbye, goodbye

_Like it? So… any guesses whom Chaise is yet?_

_I'll leave you to it…_


	19. I was scared

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter nineteen 

Kellie had her twentieth birthday three days after Hermione's parents left. Hermione surprised her with two tickets for a holiday in California so she and her sister could get away. Kellie left that afternoon.

Now only Chaise, Hermione, Charlie and a few maids were left with the castle.

Three more days after Kellie's departure Shia fell sick with a common flu. Hermione took her to the doctor but he only insisted that she fight it off herself, to build her immune system. Shia's cold didn't get worse but she wouldn't sleep and, unless Hermione was rocking her, she would whinge constantly. Hermione was beginning to feel the pressure of having no one to help. Chaise offered assistance but Hermione assured him she didn't need it so he spent most of his days at the skate park while Hermione stayed locked away in her bedroom with her daughter.

Another three days after Shia's sickness began and Hermione was really feeling the strain, she fell ill herself. It wasn't the flu though. Hermione couldn't quite put her finger on it… on moment she's wrapping Shia in a blanket, the next she's clutching at the side of the bed as her vision swam violently.

Thinking that it was just a one off… Hermione continued on with her day, caring for Shia in everyway she could. It was the next day when she realised something was wrong. She'd just been able to put Shia to sleep when her vision swam again. Chaise was at the skate park and she had no idea where Charlie was. Once again she grabbed the side of the bed to steady herself but this time the dizziness didn't go away. Instead it increased. She began feeling nauseous and shaky.

Very slowly, she edged her way around the bed to the phone she'd had installed a few days ago. With shaking hands she dialled Charlie's cell phone number and put the receiver to her ear.

"Yup?" came Charlie's calm, collected voice.

"Charlie" Hermione gasped. Her throat was closing and she was finding it hard to breathe, let alone speak.

"Hermione? What's wrong?"

"Charlie… I cant… I cant…"

"Hermione keep talking to me, I'm coming"

"Charlie, I can't breathe"

"Stay with me, baby"

Hermione dropped the receiver and fainted on her bedroom floor.

The bed she awoke in was hard but not as uncomfortable as it should be. The stark white sheets were folded neatly across her chest and she had two square pillows behind her head, making her neck slightly sore.

Without another thought, Hermione opened her eyes and looked around the brightly lit room. The walls where as stark as the sheets but they were decorated with moving portraits of whales and other mammals. Bright bunches of flowers were scattered around her bed in crystal vases.

She turned her head slightly to the left and saw Chaise sitting by her bed in a wooden chair. He was smiling at her.

"Welcome back" he said and kissed her.

"How long have I been out?" she asked and found that her throat was tight and sore.

"Only a few hours. Charlie found you in your room and bought you here"

"Where's here?"

"Saint Mungos, London"

Hermione groaned slightly and looked at the boring white ceiling.

"What's wrong with me?"

"They're running tests now. Listen, Herm… I know you just woke up and all but Shia needs somewhere to go. She isn't aloud to stay in the hospital in case she gets sick and Charlie is required to stay with you as your legal guardian" Chaise paused and glanced at the door. "Herm, if you want I can take her home and look after her while you're here. Just so she doesn't get unsettled by being moved around"

Hermione nodded reasonably.

"We have your results, miss Granger" a healer came in a door at the end of the ward that Hermione had not noticed before. "It seems that you simply collapsed from being over-stressed…"

"Why is she over-stressed?" Malfoy appeared at the other door, arms folded across his chest, water dripping from his hair.

"What are you doing here? Who told you I was here?" Hermione asked hysterically. The last person she wanted to see right now was Malfoy and the cold, hard look on his face reminded her so much of Lucius. Lucius who tried to take her baby…

"Charlie called and I came to get Shia"

"What?"

"Charlie said Shia couldn't stay her so I came to get her"

"She's going home with Chaise"

"No she's not!" Malfoy's eyes flashed with anger but he did not move from the doorway.

Hermione sat up slightly.

"I'm her mother. I decide what happens to her"

"And I'm her father. I get equal say"

They glared at each other a minute before Malfoy whirled around and stormed out the door.

"I'll be back" his voice floated back to them.

_I'll be back;_ those had been the words that Lucius had said when he wanted Shia.

Chaise stayed with Hermione for another ten minutes before declaring that he needed a drink and left to find a coffee machine.

No sooner had he gone then Malfoy returned with Harry in tow.

"Harry!" Hermione said, placing her copy of witch weekly down and turning towards the two boys. Harry was soaked through like Malfoy, which meant that it was raining outside.

"Hermione, you cant let Shia go home with Chaise" Harry said, sitting beside her bed. Malfoy took a chair on the other side but stayed silent.

"Why? She's safer at my place then she is at _Malfoy's._"

"Sorry to disappoint you, _Granger_, but you have no idea how dangerous your house is right now"

"What have you got against Chaise, anyway?"

"What, apart from the fact that he took you from me? You have no idea, Hermione, how dangerous he is"

"Your jealous"

"Hermione" Harry said, looking down at his watch. "I really have to go. I didn't tell anyone I was coming so I'm in deep shit. Please just let Malfoy take the baby… if you really are worried about his place then I'll take her back to the Weasley's. Just don't send her with Chaise… you don't even know him"

"We're dating!"

"What's that got to do with anything? Most murder victims are hit by their boyfriends or husbands because they don't know them"

Hermione stared at Harry then looked over at Malfoy. She sighed in resignation.

"Fine… take her but if anything happens…"

"It wont" Malfoy promised. Harry got up and left.

"Just take her before Chaise gets back… he'll be really disappointed… he really loves Shia"

Malfoy's face became emotionless but he simply nodded and walked out the door.

Hermione was in hospital for four days before the healer decided she was well enough to go home, though she was still to weak to apparate on her own. So, on the way to pick up Shia from the Malfoy Manor, she had to cling to Charlie as he transported them both.

It was pouring rain in Denmark, just as it had been in London. Hermione and Charlie ran up the front steps but still managed to get soaked on the way.

"Wait here" Hermione ordered of Charlie in the parlour. She went upstairs by herself, hoping to get Shia out of the nursery without seeing Draco.

Narcissa was in the nursery with Shia, tickling and cooing her. When she noticed Hermione she grinned.

"She smiled yesterday. When Draco had her"

"Really?" Hermione asked, peering down at her daughter in disappointment; she'd hoped to get the first smile. "Well… thanks for having her, Narcissa, but I really have to get home and rest."

"My pleasure, sweetie"

Hermione picked Shia up and turned to the door. Malfoy was standing there, dripping wet.

"Have you been in the rain again, Draco?" Narcissa asked in exasperation. "You'll catch a cold if you go on like this!"

"Mum, can you take Shia? I need to speak to Hermione"

Narcissa took the baby back and Hermione was forced to follow Malfoy out of the room. He took her down to his study where he sat her down opposite him.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, slightly scared by the worried look on Malfoy's face.

"It's Chaise… I was told never to tell anyone about this but…"

"But what?"

"He's a psycho"

Hermione laughed.

"A what?"

"A psycho… I'm serious Hermione… he has a mental problem… he's very violence prone and…"

"Do you have proof?"

Malfoy nodded and reached into a draw, pulling out a medical file as he did so. Hermione scanned over it and, to her utter horror, found that what Malfoy had said was true; Chaise had a history of violent behaviour and had even spent a year in the psychiatric ward at saint Mungos.

"I have to go" Hermione said, standing up suddenly and rushing for the exit. But before she reached the door her mind went blank. The next thing she knew she was on the floor, cradled in Malfoy's arms.

"I have to go" she mumbled and tried to stand up. Malfoy held her down.

"Stop. You've gone into shock… just lie still for a minute"

"How do you know this? About Chaise?"

"Do you remember… after the fight last Christmas how, when you asked if I was ok, I said I've been worse?"

Hermione nodded.

"Well before you came into the scene Chaise used to get into heaps of fights… more violent than the average fight. He had an obsession for blood." He began stroking Hermione's arm gently. "Well in the same summer that you showed up your parents were having a little 'get together'. I got in a small tousle with Nigel and was sent outside too cool down. I found Lilly and Freddie tied to a tree all beaten up and stuff… Freddie was bruised and cut but Lilly had huge gashes across her back. Before I could do anything Chaise smashed a glass bottle across the back of my head. That's how I got this scar here," Malfoy pointed to a faint pink scar on the back of his neck. "I lost so much blood that I ended up in hospital for a week… I was lucky that Charlie came along…"

"Charlie?"

"Yeah… he came out and managed to pin Chaise to the ground and knock him out. Chaise managed to draw blood on him too, though… Chaise was put in hospital and I got a visit from his parents a week later, asking me to keep it quite. I think they might have put a charm on me that told them if I blabbed. That's why I didn't say anything"

"But what if he got better?" Hermione asked, hoping, preying that there was someway out of this.

"Well he might have. But when it comes to my daughter… I'd prefer to keep her safe…"

Hermione nodded and fell silent. It was only now that she realised that she was shaking.

"I have to go and talk to him. I need to explain why I have to leave him," Hermione said after a moment's hesitation.

"You never explained to me"

"Huh?"

"You never explained why you went cold on me… why you left me…"

Hermione looked away and bit her lip.

"I was scared," she whispered finally.

"Scared of what?" Malfoy's eyes widened. "Scared of me?"

Hermione nodded numbly. "You remind me so much of Lucius… I just couldn't bare to be with you… you look so much like him"

Malfoy looked away.

"I have to go talk to him" Hermione said and tried to get up again. This time Malfoy released her.

"Cant you wait until tomorrow?" he asked, following her out of the room. "You don't even know what you're going to say to him"

Hermione paused and stared at a painting on the wall. "Fine" she said finally in a shaky voice. "Fine, I'll stay but first thing tomorrow I'm going to talk to him"

"Fine"

That night Hermione cried herself to sleep.

The next morning Hermione woke early and dressed quickly. She had no idea what she was going to say to Chaise but she had to speak to him.

She figured that she would go and have a quiet chat with him and explain that she would be staying with the Malfoy's until her parents returned the next week then she would get out of there… she still didn't consider Chaise as crazy because he seemed so normal and she hadn't seen it first hand but as she was waiting in the parlour for Charlie Malfoy came in and insisted that he would accompany her.

"What for?" Hermione asked, wishing he would go away.  
"Because he's dangerous"

Hermione did not argue with this even though she thought otherwise.

When Charlie finally arrived they went out the front door to apparate. Before they could do so, a long black limo pulled up in front of the house.

"Oh jeez" Malfoy groaned as a bouncy little blonde girl, no older than seven, came jumping out of the backseat with a tall blonde woman in tow. Just behind them were two blonde teenage girls, identical twins. Both looked extremely moody, as if they hadn't slept for a few days.

"Who are they?" Hermione asked as the small group came towards them.

"My cousins" Malfoy explained. "From Wales"

"And what are they doing here? Now?"

"I have no bloody idea. Mum must have called them up"

"Draco!" the little girl came racing up the steps and wrapped her arms around Malfoy's legs.

"Hey squirt!"

"My name isn't squirt!" the girl giggled in delight.

"Then what is it?" Malfoy asked in mock confusion.

"It's Lisa!"

"Oh… but I could have sworn…"

"It's Lisa!"

"If you say so…"

"Hello, Draco" the woman had reached them now and gave Malfoy a lukewarm smile.

"Aunty Gabrielle" Malfoy dipped his head to her courteously. This was all the woman needed; she glanced at Hermione then entered the house without another word.

The twins came up the steps last.

"Draco" they said simultaneously even though both sets of blue eyes were fixed on Hermione. Malfoy stared at them a moment, as if trying to figure out which was which. After a few moments he smiled and pointed at the twin closest to him.

"Samantha" he said. She looked at him and grinned.

"Lucky guess"

"And Tori" he pointed to the other twin who gave him a less than friendly smile.

"Malfoy, we have to go" Hermione said lightly. The twins looked at her again.

"Yeah ok" Malfoy patted his pockets as if looking for something then started off down the steps.

"Where you going?" one of the twins, possibly Samantha, asked.

"Never mind"

Before they could say anything else Charlie had grabbed Hermione's arm and they had apparated.

_Ohhh, if there's one thing I hang onto,  
It gets me through the night.  
I aint gonna do what I don't want to,  
Im gonna live my life.  
Shining like a diamond, rolling with the dice,  
Standing on the ledge, show the wind how to fly.  
When the world gets in my face,  
I say, Have A Nice Day.  
Have A Nice Day._

_So what's Hermione going to tell Chaise? Will he attack her or take it all in good humour?_


	20. I dont hate you

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter twenty 

Chaise was in the Parlour reading a skateboarding magazine when the trio arrived.

"Herm!" Chaise cried joyously when she walked in the door. She allowed him to hug and kiss her before pushing him away gently.

"It's great to have you back, Herm." He gushed. "I missed you so much! The house is so bloody empty without my beautiful girls"

Hermione had just enough time to glance over at Charlie and Malfoy, both of whom looked ready to vomit, before Chaise swept her into another hug.

"Uh…Chaise?" Hermione peeled him off and pushed him back. "I'm going to be staying at Malfoy's until my parent's come back… so he can spend time with Shia and all…"

Chaise's handsome face suddenly became twisted with rage. He looked over at Malfoy who stiffened visibly.

"You told her, didn't you?" Chaise said in a low voice, taking a step forward. "Even after you promised… you told her" he whirled around to face Hermione again, this time with a pleading look on his face. "Herm, I'm not like that anymore. They fixed me. Why do you think they'd let me out if I wasn't well?"

"It's not that, Chaise, really" Hermione said quietly. For some reason she believed Chaise. She knew she wanted to believe him. "But some of Malfoy's relatives came all the way from Wales to see Shia so we're going to stay there"

"Let Shia stay there!" Chaise, grabbed her arm. Both Malfoy and Charlie stepped forward but neither of them did anything. "You can stay here with me!"

"Sorry, Chaise, but I'd really like to be with Shia for a while. I will be back, I promise"

"Let's go" Malfoy came in and pulled Hermione away.

"Please stay, Hermione!" Chaise tried to follow them but Charlie blocked the doorway with his massive figure.

Malfoy dragged Hermione out onto the front steps and they apparated together.

"What the hell was that?" Malfoy asked, outraged, the second they hit solid ground outside the Malfoy manor.

"What was what?"

"Promising you'd come back? You shouldn't have done that… now he'll be waiting for you!"

"He isn't evil, Draco"

"Yeah but he's mad enough to be"

Charlie arrived at that moment looking extremely pissed.

"Bad move, Hermione" he said darkly, dragging her into the house. "Never promise a madman anything. The only way to break that promise is to kill him"

"He isn't mad!" Hermione wrenched free of Charlie's gripped and backed away. "Didn't you hear what he said? He's fixed, better, no longer insane! And I'd beg you to stop butting into my life! I can be with anyone I want, Draco Malfoy!" she turned and stormed towards the exit.

"I'm just trying to help, Hermione" he said softly.

"Well stop, I don't want your help! I-I hate you! I hate both of you!" She ran from the room leaving both Charlie and Malfoy looking hurt and broken.

Hermione spent the whole day locked in her room with Shia and once again cried herself to sleep.

The next day she woke late feeling lonely and empty. Figuring she'd have to apologise for the day before, she sought out Charlie. He was in the kitchen with Anik and Mark and when Hermione explained herself he graciously accepted her apology.

Next she went in search of Malfoy. She guessed that he would be working out like usual so she went straight to his gym.

Instead of finding Malfoy, though, she found Blaise Zabini.

"Zabini? What are you doing here?"

"Looking after Malfoy," he answered.

"Why would you need to look after him?"

"Because he's self destructing. And you want to know why, Granger? Because of you. You're screwing with his mind."

"Where is he now? I need to talk to him"

Blaise shrugged. "He took the slip this morning. I presume he went to a pub. That's where he spends all his time these days… drinking and running after you"

Hermione bit her lip then turned and left.

Back in the kitchen she grabbed Charlie.

"Charlie, I want to go to the Weasley's. Are you coming with me?"

Twenty minutes later Hermione and Charlie were walking up the garden path to the back door of the burrow.

It was Harry who answered the door and he didn't seem to surprised to see her.

"Welcome back, Herm" he said, casually twirling his wand between his fingers. "You look pale… did you recover properly?"

"Yeah… it's just little things"

Harry led her to the empty kitchen and they sat down together.

"So did you get in trouble for coming to see me?"

"Like you wouldn't believe" Harry sighed and summoned a glass of water with a flick of his wand. "First Molly screeched at me. Then Dumbledore showed up and had a good old yell. I swear to god I have never seen him so angry and I was gone for less than fifteen minutes!"

"I'm sorry, Harry" Hermione looked down. "If I hadn't been so wrapped up in myself then I would have just given Shia to Malfoy"

"So Malfoy told you about Chaise?"

"Yeah… he told you too?"

"Of course. Why do you think I came so quickly?"

"Hermione!" Ron came into the kitchen looking surprised and pleased. "What are you doing here?"

"Visiting" Hermione replied, standing up and hugging him.

"Well that's a nicer greeting than you gave me last time" Ron touched his jaw gingerly as Ginny, Fred and George came in.

"You still whinging over that, Ronny" Fred said mockingly.

"Well it still bloody hurts!"

"So, Harry" Hermione said as the Weasley children began arguing amongst themselves. "Are you and Parvati hooked up or what?"

"We sure are" Harry grinned sheepishly. Hermione smiled. She hadn't realised how much she'd missed having her friends around.

Molly came in after that with Lupin and Tonks and invited Hermione and Charlie to stay for a nice homemade lunch.

They stayed all afternoon chatting and joking like usual before Hermione reluctantly said goodbye and went home with Charlie.

Malfoy still hadn't returned home from wherever he had gone and Narcissa was in a very bad tempered mood. Hermione and Charlie paused outside the dining room for a minute and listened to her raging.

"I can't believe him!" she stormed. "He goes out without telling anyone! What if he's hurt? What if something happened to him?"

"I'm sure he's fine, Narcissa!" Gabrielle said calmly. "All the boy's are out looking for him. They'll be back soon"

"For the past few weeks… I knew he was depressed… and I knew it was bad but now this? With the dark lord and his father on the loose and everything!"

Hermione shook her head sadly and went upstairs to Shia.

"Hey, sweetie" she cooed when she found her daughter away in her cot. Shia gurgled and smiled.

Hermione couldn't help but smile back.

Hermione was just passing through the entrance hall on the way to the kitchen when Malfoy returned home. He slipped through the front door quietly but let it close with a snap. Hermione stopped and studied him properly for the first time in weeks.

His face was sunken and pale and he had dark rings around his eyes. His clothes were hanging off him and he was swaying slightly.

"You look awful!" Hermione said before she could stop herself.

"Thank you" he smiled shiftily. "So I take it you still hate me?"

Before Hermione could answer a door slammed behind her.

"DRACO MALFOY!" Narcissa came flying down the hall followed by Gabrielle, the twins, Charlie and Mark. "Where the bloody hell have you been? I should… I should…"

"You should what, mum?" Draco hissed, a dark look falling across his face.

Narcissa raised a hand to slap him but he caught her by the wrist.

"Don't you dare" he snarled. "I can do what I want, when I want. You aren't going to stop me…"

The hall filled with sudden noise. The twins where yelling at Draco, telling him to let his mother go. Gabrielle was yelling about how ungrateful Malfoy was. Both Mark and Charlie were yelling for silence.

"Draco" Hermione said, just loud enough for him to hear. He looked over at he the released his grip on his mother. Gabrielle continued to screech at him but he paid no attention. Instead he walked over to Hermione. She took a gentle hold on his wrist and led him away from the noise and havoc and up to his room.

"Go to bed" she ordered at the doorway.

"I'm really sorry, Hermione" he said, ignoring her order. "For whatever I did to make you hate me."

"I don't hate you. Now go to bed!" she closed the door in his face.

Despite Hermione's reassurance that she didn't hate him, Draco's depression increased over the next few days. Every morning, before anyone was up to stop him, Draco would leave the house. On two of the days he came home looking worn and tired: Hermione guessed he had been out looking for his father.

On the other two days he came home completely drunk and had to be put to bed by one of his assassins before his mother began one of her frequent rants.

It was on the fifth day that Malfoy left the house when Narcissa lost it completely… but instead of throwing things or screaming; she simply sat down and bawled her eyes out, sobbing and speaking of how she went wrong.

Hermione had had enough. Draco had put his mother through enough hell. It was time he stopped acting like a silly child and started taking responsibility for his family; especially his daughter.

Without bothering to tell Charlie that she was leaving, Hermione put on a travelling cloak and set out into the increasing darkness.

_That I love you  
I have loved you all along  
And I miss you  
Been far away for far too long  
I keep dreaming you'll be with me  
and you'll never go  
Stop breathing if  
I don't see you anymore._

_Lucius reappears in the next chapter so stay tuned!_


	21. Gryffindor girl

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter twenty-one 

Hermione apparated into a dark alleyway outside a fast-food joint. Checking carefully to see if anyone had seen her, she ditched her travelling cloak and began wandering down the street in search of the blonde boy.

Her immediate thought was to check the club that they had gone to but then she realised that someone as smart as Draco Malfoy would not want to be found, there for going to a strange bar.

It wasn't Hermione who found Draco… it was Draco who found Hermione.

She had been walking for no more than ten minutes when a black Porsche pulled up along side her. The blackened glass vanished magically and Hermione found herself face to face with her target.

"Looking for me?" he asked gently… he looked drunk off his face… Hermione could smell the gin on his breath…

"Maybe" she said, peering at him closely, wonder exactly how much he'd had to drink.

"Jump in"

"Would you like me to drive?"

"What for?"

"Because you're pissed"

"No I'm not" he stared at her with unfocused eyes then suddenly grinned. "So are you in or not?"

Not wanting to lose him again, Hermione ran around to the other side of the car and slid into the passengers seat.

Malfoy took his foot off the brake and flung the car back onto the road. Hermione grabbed the edge of her seat for support.

"You really have to stop doing this" Hermione said when he finally got the car going in a straight line, though a little faster than she liked.

"Doing what?"

"Running away. It's very selfish. You have a family you know… a mother who is worried sick, and not to mention your daughter…"

"Selfish? You think it's selfish?"

"Yes I do… it has to stop"

"Hermione, I have been out looking for him for five days in a row. I know he's still around and I'm not going to rest until I've caught him."

"Your father?"

"Who else?"

"Then what's with the drinking? Everyone at home thinks you're depressed"

Malfoy glanced over at her wearily and the car swerved slightly.

"I am depressed. But only a little. I'm more scared than depressed…" the car swerved again.

"Pull over" Hermione said suddenly. "Pull over right now. I'm driving the rest of the way"

"Fine" Malfoy gave the wheel a harsh tug and pulled off the road. But before he could get right over massive flood lights flashed over them, blinding them both. A huge truck, clearly on the wrong side of the road, loomed up on them. Draco grabbed Hermione's arm as the truck ploughed into them, sending them flying fifty metres back up the highway.

The car crushed around them. Hermione felt something sharp gash her leg but she didn't scream. Her voice was caught in her throat. Something came down on her head and she flung her arms up to block the shards of glass from the smashed windows.

It seemed like an eternity, but their totalled car finally came to a halt.

Hermione turned slightly to look at Malfoy. He was bent over the steering wheel, gasping for breath.

"Are you ok?" they asked each other simultaneously. The front of the car suddenly burst into flames.

"Over the back, get over the back" Draco gasped as black smoke filled the car. Hermione crawled painfully over into the back seat and opened the only door in the car that was still intact enough to open. Draco was right behind her. Once out in the open, Hermione tried to walk away but a sharp pain drove up her leg, causing it to collapse. Draco caught her with one arm. His other one was broken. Other cars were pulling up and people were everywhere, watching the scene in horror.

"It's going to explode!" some one yelled as the whole car was consumed by the hungry flames. Both victims looked back in horror at the car and the truck, still attached to the car. Hermione gasped.

It was an oil tanker.

The truck driver jumped out of his cab and came running over to the injured couple. Before he could make it, though, the car exploded. The driver ducked and shot off in the other direction.

"Come on" Hermione said. She and Draco turned and made their way slowly towards the watching crowd.

The tanker exploded… but instead of killing everyone, it froze. Literally. It was like watching an action film then pressing pause. It was simply a massive fireball hanging, frozen, in midair.

Hermione's jaw dropped and she looked around. The muggles were frozen as well, all with looks of horror upon their faces.

Suddenly a ring of fire shot up around the couple. Both Hermione and Draco reached instinctively for their wands.

"So there's a girl…" Lucius Malfoy stepped through the flames with several other death eaters flanking him. "A Gryffindor girl at that… tell me, Draco, why would you be with a Gryffindor girl if there wasn't a child?"

"You fucking…" Draco brandished his wand.

"Crucio!" Hermione beat him to it. The curse hit Lucius Square in the chest and he screamed in pain, though didn't fall.

His crony death eaters sprang into action, firing curses and spells at Hermione. Miraculously none of them hit their target.

"Stay away from us or god help me, I'll kill your sorry ass" Hermione screamed wildly.

"Your in no position to be threatening me, girl" Lucius snarled as the death eaters formed a circle around them.

Hermione fell silent, her brain taking over once more as she tried to figure out a way out of this mess.

"Now…" Lucius said idly, taking a step towards them. "We did originally come to speak to Draco but seeing as we found the mother…" Lucius stopped in front of Draco. Father and son stared at each other; Lucius' eyes filled with a sickening malice, Draco's filled with such a terrifying hate that Lucius was first to break the gaze. "I think we can just take her with us"

"Take me where?" Hermione asked, using one of Harry's favourite tactics: stalling. Draco, on the other hand, seemed so furious with his father that he was unable to speak.

"That's not for you to know… now if we can just get you out of here before Dumbledore arrives…" Lucius spoke more to himself than anyone.

Draco stepped in front of her.

"You wont touch her"

"Move aside, Son" Lucius said darkly, aiming his want at the younger mans heart. "Give her to us and I wont have to kill you"

"Apparate" Hermione whispered, mentally slapping herself for not thinking of it earlier. Both teens turned sharply but, instead of flying through the heavy darkness of apparition, they found themselves staring at the leering death eaters who had once stood behind them.

"Uh oh"

"Do you think we'd let you get away that easily?" Lucius laughed loudly. "Well if you won't come, you'll both have to die..." he gestured to the frozen explosion. The death eaters around them stepped through the flames and apparated. The muggles unfroze and so did the explosion.

Malfoy and Hermione were instantly consumed but flames but, instead of burning to death, they found that the flames licked coolly at their skin.

"What's going on?" Malfoy asked. Hermione pointed to a small group of dark figures hurrying towards them. The closest had a wand out.

"Are you two ok?" asked a man wearing a white coat when he reached them.

"I think so" Hermione could feel the pain in her leg coming back.

"Well we have to get you two home and healed before those death eaters come back"

"What about the muggles?" Hermione asked as the healers surrounded her and Draco.

"They'll be fine. Now hold on…"

A few minutes later they landed on the steps of the Malfoy manor. Hermione's leg completely collapsed and she had to be supported by two healers up the stairs into the manor.

Narcissa, Charlie and Gabrielle came rushing out of the parlour. Narcissa uttered a soft scream and came running over to her son.

"Mrs Malfoy. We need some beds"

"Of course, of course… what happened?" Narcissa led then upstairs to a spare bedroom with two beds.

"I'll explain later" the main healer said, helping Hermione onto a bed and examining the long gash on her calf.

"It doesn't seem to be infected," he said, tapping it gently with his wand. The wound healed over. He then proceeded to mend a fractured bone in her hand and the bruises on her face. When he'd finished he gave her a potion to help deal with the shock that he assured would come. After that he summoned his other healers, Narcissa, Charlie and Gabrielle out of the room to discuss the situation.

"Something's not right" Hermione said when she and Draco were alone.

"I know what you mean," he answered with a frown. "My father left way to voluntarily. I thought he'd hang around until he'd done some damage… or at least watched to see if we died in the explosion…"

Hermione nodded thoughtfully. "He's up to something… we'll have to be more careful"

"You're not skipping out on me then?" Draco asked hopefully.

"No, not this time"

Narcissa came charging back into the room.

"You were drinking driving! You irresponsible…"

"The truck hit us, Narcissa" Hermione explained quietly. "It was in the wrong, not us"

"That doesn't excuse that fact that he's out getting drunk every night and…"

"Mum" Draco cut in suddenly "where's Shia?"

"In her room, why?"

"Can you please get her? Right now"

Narcissa looked like she wanted to argue but the expression on Draco's face was set.

She returned a few minutes later with the baby and handed her to her father.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight" he whispered to her. "Ever"

_Ring them bells, ring them loud  
Let them ring here and now  
Just reach out and ring the Bells of Freedom  
When your world's crashing down  
Like you're lost every round  
Stand your ground  
And ring the Bells of Freedom_

_**Well guys… I'm kinda running out of ideas for this story….I have one or two chapters left with the Chaise/Draco showdown but after that I'm stumped I don't want to end this story yet so I think after that happens I might have to skip forward five years into the future or something… any ideas?**_


	22. Showdown

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter twenty-two 

Hermione and Draco spent the next few days recovering from the car accident… well that's what they told Narcissa, anyway. As a matter of fact they were both too afraid to leave the house. Draco stayed true to his word and he spent every breathing second with Shia. Blaise stayed for a few days before deciding that Draco was better and he left to go home.

They'd been at home for almost four days when they both received letters from Clarisse and Alfred, inviting them to a party they were hosting on the night of their return. Hermione's letter had told her not to worry about preparations because Chaise was handling it all.

"Maybe I should go help," Hermione said, reading over her letter several times. "It is tomorrow night… I'm sure he could use a hand…"

"No way" Draco said, taking the letter from her and tossing it in the fire. "You are not going anywhere!"

"Ok, ok! It was just a suggestion!" Hermione grumbled. No sooner had the words left her mouth then another owl came swooping in the window. It was a quick note from Kelly saying she'd be home the next afternoon.

The next night Hermione, Draco, Shia, Narcissa, Charlie and the three assassins left the manor and apparated to Hermione's castle.

Both Hermione and Draco were wearing simple outfits… neither had bothered going out of their way to get dressed up.

Hermione was wearing a flowing white dress that pooled out around her ankles and tied up around her neck. Draco was wearing a plain white button up shirt. He hadn't even bothered with a tie. They were a bit late so Hermione gave Shia to Kelly at the door so she and Draco could go straight in.

Everyone in the main room turned to stare at them. This was a magical party so pretty much everyone had heard about the car crash and after attack.

Hermione and Draco ignored them and went in opposite directions. Draco went to talk to a few boys, including Frederick and Hermione went and stood by Lilly and listened quietly in on her and Jamie-Lyn's conversation.

Chaise, his parents and Hermione's parents appeared at the door and everyone turned, smiling, to welcome them home.

Hermione felt Lilly stiffen beside her and her heart went out to the girl. She could only imagine the scars on Lilly's back.

Chaise caught Hermione's eye and he winked. Hermione blushed as she felt butterflies fill her stomach. How could Chaise possible be psycho? He seemed so harmless and, not to mention, incredibly cute.

Across the room Malfoy glowered at him.

The night started smoothly. Everything was quite relaxed; everyone was chatting happily or dancing to the music that was being played by an invisible force. Hermione's mother could be heard gushing to Narcissa about Australia.

Draco and Hermione had planned not to talk to each other all night, just for the sake of not provoking Chaise, but, when the conversations got boring, Hermione found her eyes wandering over to Draco. At one stage, in about the middle of the night, she looked up to find Draco watching her. They stared at each other for a moment before both looking hastily around the room for Chaise.

By the shadowy look on his face, Chaise had noticed the exchange. Suddenly the party became hostile and tense. Lilly had been on edge all night and was on the point of cracking while Freddie had spent the whole night cracking his knuckles and growling at Chaise. Now Chaise was heating up and all four of them had noticed it.

Chaise came wandering over to Hermione. They exchanged smiles then he suddenly tried to kiss her. Hermione backed up a little and he frowned.

"Chaise, I cant," she said lightly, hoping not to offend him. He stared at her.

"I'm better. They fixed me, Herm! We can be together!" he pleaded, grabbing her hand.

"I know, but that's not the reason. I just don't feel that way about you anymore…"

Chaise's expression darkened and he looked across the room at Malfoy. Luckily the Blonde boy wasn't looking at them but Hermione still had a guilty look on her face.

"Fine" Chaise said simply. "Just forget it" he turned and walked away.

Before Hermione even had a chance to breathe a sigh of relief, Chaise changed his direction and ran at Malfoy. Malfoy barely had time to turn to face his opponent before Chaise went crashing into him. They both went down and Malfoy's head hit the floor with a sickening thunk.

Everyone in the room turned to watch. Chaise was in such a rage that it was a surprise that his eyes hadn't turned red or that he hadn't started frothing at the mouth. He sent endless, deadly, punches at Draco who had to put all his strength into blocking them. Chaise got one good shot in at Draco's temple and that was when Freddie jumped in. he tackled Chaise off Malfoy. Chaise booted Freddie in the face and resumed his frantic attack on Malfoy. It was now that Hermione noticed the blood splattered thickly across the floor and yet, she seemed unable to move due to shock.

Luckily, others were taking action: spells were being shot around the room and older men were diving into battle, attempting to pull the two apart.

As three men roughly hoisted Chaise up, Draco was able to get to his feet and stagger away, blood flowing freely from an unseen wound on the back of his head. He staggered towards Hermione. Chaise followed with his eyes and when the fell upon the princess he tried to tug away from his captors.

"Hermione!" he yelled shrilly. "HERMIONE!" Freddie stumbled forward, still dazed from the foot in face, and smashed an uneasy fist into Chaise's face. At the same time Charlie grabbed Hermione from behind and dragged her into the empty parlour. Draco and the three assassins stumbled in behind her.

"Lock the door" Charlie ordered as Draco tripped and fell. Hermione caught him but unable to hold his weight, sank to the floor with the boy clutched to her chest. Mark locked the parlour door as several nobles, including Narcissa and Clarisse, tried to force entry.

"We have to get him to hospital" Hermione gasped as Draco's crimson blood soaked into her pretty white dress.

"No" Draco choked as Mark and Bruce both reached out for him. "I don't want to go  
his shaking hand closed over a clump of Hermione's dress and refused to let it go.

"Draco" Hermione said gently, hoping to coax him off, like you would a small child. "You have to go to hospital. You'll bleed to death if you don't"

"I don't care" Draco attempted a shrug but it came out as more of a wince. "I'm not afraid of dying"

"I care" Hermione said, still with the gentle tone. "And I will be afraid if you die"

Their eyes met; Draco's glazed and unfocused, Hermione's wide with worry.

"I want to go to California" Draco said, very suddenly changing the subject.

"Well you can if you go to hospital first"

"I want you to come with me"

"I'll come, I'll come… just… just go to hospital, please" Hermione was becoming anxious and panicky as she watched Draco begin to slip in and out of consciousness and his breathing becoming laboured and heavy.

"I…I love you… Herm" he murmured before passing out completely. Hermione stared down at him, her mouth slightly open with shock and hot tears spilling down her cheeks.

Bruce sprang into action, pulling the limp and bloody body of Malfoy off Hermione and Apparating with it. Anik and Mark apparated out a few seconds later.

Hermione looked down at her shaky, blood-soaked hands.

He loved her. He actually loved her.

"Hermione?"

Charlie's voice jerked her out of her stupor.

"I have to go see him" she said, standing up abruptly.

"wearing that?" Charlie gestured to her once white dress.

"Right… I'll change" Hermione dashed for the door and flung it open.

"WHERE'S DRACO!" Narcissa screamed. Alfred was restraining her. Frederick was sitting alone on the stairs, blood pouring from his nose and a gash below his eye. Chaise was nowhere to be seen. Everyone else was staring at Hermione's bloodstained dress in horror.

Hermione ignored them all and ran, as fast as her heels would allow, up to her room where Shia and Kelly were.

"Hermione!" Kelly screamed, covering her mouth and staring at Hermione.

"Kelly, look after Shia. I shouldn't be long" Hermione tore off the ruined dress and tossed it aside before replacing it with a pair of jeans and a tank top. As she was grabbing her purse Frederick appeared at her door.

"Will he be ok?"

"I don't know"

"Where are you going?"

"To see him"

"Can I come?"

"Sure" Hermione had no time for arguments and letting Freddie come seemed easiest. They ran back downstairs and met Charlie at the front doors.

A few minutes later they were hurrying along a white corridor on the first floor of saint Mungos,

"In here" Charlie said, steering the prince and princess into a ward right at the end.

Standing around a bed by the door was the three assassins, two healers and Narcissa.

Draco was in bed, wide-awake, yet still pale and covered in blood.

"Hermione!" he said joyously when he saw her enter.

"How are you?" she asked meekly, pushing through the crowd to stand close to him.

"Doped up on potions-"

"But will make a full recovery" one of the healers finished for him.

"Right" Malfoy said, not taking his eyes off Hermione… it was starting to scare her. "Listen, can me and Hermione talk privately for a while, please?"

Narcissa looked peeved but followed the rest of the group out of the ward all the same.

"I told you he was dangerous," he said as soon as the door had closed.

"No need to rub it in," Hermione grumbled, smoothing a hand over the bed sheets. Draco's hand shot out and he took hers in his, rubbing his thumb over her palm softly.

"I'm so glad your ok," She said, trying to keep conversation going.

"Were you scared?"

"Very"

Draco grinned and pulled her a bit closer.

"I love you"

"What was that?" Hermione said mockingly, though her heart was hammering painfully against her ribcage.

"I love you"

Hermione looked down at his eager and alert face, his grey eyes dancing playfully as he waited for a reaction.

"I love you too"

_Show me what it's like  
To be the last one standing  
And teach me wrong from right  
And I'll show you what I can be  
Say it for me  
Say it to me  
And I'll leave this life behind me  
Say it if it's worth saving me_

_**Sorry it took so long to update but I am seriously out of ideas… I know this will upset you but I'm gonna have to let this story rest for a bit while I have writers block. I am actually going to continue one of my other stories until then and if I get enough reviews for the other story then I'll feel content to come back to this one.**_

_**Now, if you didn't pick up the hint above…my other story is called 'NOTHINGS MORE POWERFUL THAN THE SANDMAN' it's the sequel to my other story 'I WAS ALMOST KILLED THEN THEY CAME' if you like dramatic Hermione/ Draco fics like this one then you'll like my other ones… though they're twice as dramatic.**_

_**REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	23. all eternity

Disclaimer: obviously not mine. Why would it be on a fan fiction site?

Chapter twenty-three 

Draco Malfoy proposed to Hermione Granger exactly one week after getting out of hospital. They planned to have the wedding quickly, before the media could find out and make a scene of it.

After two weeks of being engaged, they set a date (two days before school resumed) and wrote up an invite list (close friends and family only).

The wedding was to be held on the Hogwarts grounds, over the other side of the lake with the magnificent castle in the background.

It was the morning of the big day when Hermione found herself in the Gryffindor common room, surrounded by giggly bridesmaids and female well wishers.

Parvati had just finished doing her makeup and had stepped back to admire her thoughtfully.

"Where's a mirror?" Hermione asked, a squeamish feeling rising in her stomach.

Ginny conjured one up. Hermione took one look at herself and gasped.

"What, don't you like it?" Parvati asked hesitantly, twisting a white cloth between her fingers.

"No… I love it!" Hermione stood up and twirled so she could see her neatly curled hair, tied with white ribbons and flowers at the top of her head.

The portrait burst open at that moment and Gail and Clarisse came dashing in.

"Come, Hermione!" Clarisse said, clapping her hands together joyously. "Your groom is waiting! Put on your dress! It is time for your wedding!"

Hermione, grinning from ear to ear, stepped into the traditional white wedding dress that Gail had made her.

It was strapless and fitted to her waist where it finished in a V and fanned out across the ground.

"Lets go!" Hermione looked at herself in the mirror once more, the at her two bridesmaids, Ginny and Parvati, both wearing scarlet dresses before taking hold of her bouquet of white lilies and leading the way out the door.

Hermione's father met the group of women at the door and he led his daughter and her two bridesmaids to a white carriage drawn by the finest white Arabians money could buy.

The carriage took them slowly around the lake towards the ceremony.

"All set?" Alfred asked, squeezing Hermione's hand as Ginny and Parvati, both smiling broadly, stepped out of the carriage and began the long walk down the isle.

"I think so" she replied in a shaky voice, linking arms with her father as he helped her out of the carriage.

About ten rows of seats, already filled with people, were set before the alter. Large cloths of white silk were held above the guest, ensuring shade and comfort for all.

It took Hermione a double glance to realise that the cloths were being held aloft by tiny sparkling fairies.

The walk down the isle seemed to take forever. Hermione was dimly aware of the guests standing to watch her, and the heavenly music playing softly in the background, but her main thoughts were on the man standing at the alter, waiting with a ridiculously happy grin on his face.

Hermione finally felt her father releasing her and in the next moment Draco had taken her hand in his and given it a gentle squeeze.

"Ready?" he whispered as the guest settled back into their seats.

"Ready" Hermione said firmly before grinning back.

"We are gathered here today" began the Priestess "To witness and celebrate the uniting of Draco Lucius Malfoy and Hermione Clarisse Anne Granger in holy matrimony. If there is anyone who thinks this couple should not be married, please speak now or forever hold your peace" she paused a moment then smiled, gesturing at Draco who took a deep breath before beginning to speak.

"I, Draco, take you, Hermione, to be my friend, my lover, the mother of my children and my wife. I will be yours in times of plenty and in times of want, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of failure and in times of triumph. I promise to cherish and respect you, to care and protect you, to comfort and encourage you, and stay with you, for all eternity."

"Draco, do you take Hermione as your lawfully wedded wife, until death do you part?"

"I do" Draco turned and took a diamond ring from Blaize's outstretched hand and slid it onto Hermione's finger.

It was now Hermione's turn. She took a deep breath, her heart pounding, and smiled.

"I Hermione, take you Draco to be my husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live."

"Hermione, do you take Draco to be your lawfully wedded husband until death do you part?"

"I do" Hermione took a plain gold band from Ginny and slid it carefully onto Draco's finger.

They paused then both began speaking simultaneously:

"_Entreat me not to leave you, or to return from following after you, for where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. And where you die, I will die and there I will be buried. May Merlin do with me and more if anything but death parts you from me."_

"Draco" the priestess said with a small smile. "You may now kiss your bride"

Cheers erupted from the crowd as Draco swooped in on Hermione and kissed her, longingly, hungrily and very unceremoniously.

The reception was held in the great hall and, after the many speeches by the best man, the bridesmaids, mothers and fathers, a wonderful feast was served by house elves wearing smart little suits and carrying silver trays loaded with foods of every kind from all around the world.

After the first dance of the bride and groom, some of the guest, mainly the ones with young children, and older ones who needed rest, left for the night.

This left Hermione, Draco and most of their friends. This was the same time the wine was put away and the spirits where brought out.

The band, now finished playing classical, started up with a bit of rock'n'roll.

"Well, my dear wife," Draco said, sitting down beside Hermione who was watching Ginny fight with a house elf for another shot of firewhisky. "How does it feel to me Mrs Hermione Malfoy?"

"Its not to bad… could be worse… I'm kidding, silly!" she added with a laugh when his face fell.

"I know you are" he leant in to kiss her as Dumbledore and McGonagall danced by, the only two 'oldies' left in the room.

Moments later there was a loud explosion on the floor above them. A few people screamed but most were quite used to explosions and were already pulling out their wands, dreading the worst.

"Not now" Hermione groaned, pulling out her wand "not tonight" with a wave of her wand she transfigured her pretty white dress into a set of white robes.

A few people saw this and mimicked her, changing their dresses or suits into more combat friendly robes.

Heavy mass loads of footsteps had now replaced the explosion and were running downstairs towards the great hall. All wands were soon trained on the door, waiting for someone (or something) to burst through them… but no one came.

"Albus?" McGonagall asked in barely more than a whisper.

"I know, Minerva, I know"

What Albus knew, of course, did not become apparent because at the moment the doors burst open and waves upon waves of death eaters swooped into the room.

It was only now that Hermione noticed Harry, standing behind the rest of the crowd, doubled over in pain, clutching frightfully at his scar.

"He's- He's here" Ron stammered, watching Harry fighting fiercely with the demons in his head. "You-know-who is here!"

The people standing closest to Ron and Harry looked around in horror, expecting the murderous wizard to simply step out of the crowd.

"Get him, kill him!" one of the death eaters, obviously the ringleader, screamed, brandishing his wand furiously.

Hermione automatically moved to stand in front of, and protect, Harry, as did Ginny, Ron and the Weasley twins.

But the attack didn't come on Harry, instead the fifty or more death eaters lunged, howling threateningly, at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore seemed to be expecting this because, with one large swish of his wand, he sent the first couple of rows of enemies flying backwards.

Though this technique, and many guests were using it now, seemed quite affective, it still wasn't enough to stop the relentless hoards of death eaters, hell-bent on killing Dumbledore.

Harry suddenly straightened up, looking wearily around him.

"He's gone"

"No he's not, Harry!" Dumbledore called from across the room where he was surrounded by a large mass of hooded figures but was having no trouble fighting them. "Brace yourself, he's in the room!"

Harry suddenly ducked as a jet of green light shot over his head, aimed at him from a lone figure standing near the door.

Voldemort slowly slid back his hood and advanced on Harry, smirking loathsomely.

"Well, Potter, I'm going to kill you now and all your precious Dumbledore can do is watch…" he jerks a finger at Dumbledore who now seemed quite frightened. All the other guests were fighting their own, private battles against the remaining death eaters.

Harry raised his wand slowly in a shaking hand.

"Don't!" Hermione screamed, no longer peeved at the intrusion but terrified for Harry's life. "Don't touch him!" without and sense of what she was doing, Hermione flung herself across the room at Harry, wrapping her arms protectively around him.

"Get out of the way, silly girl!" Voldemort hissed at the same time as Draco screamed:

"HERMIONE, NO!"

"Hermione, get off, I have to fight him!"

"No, Harry" she whispered, clinging to his robes as tight as she could. "If he kills someone trying to protect you then you get that sacred love barrier!"

"And you're willing to die for it?"

"Yes"

"No, Herm, get off"

But before Harry could push her away someone crashed into them from the left, then someone from the right.

Ginny and Parvati and come sliding in, also ready to sacrifice themselves for Harry.

Ron, on the other hand, had decided to take Voldemort head on.

"You wont hurt Harry! Cru…"

"Arvada Kadavra" Voldemort flicked his wand almost lazily in Ron's direction.

Ginny screamed as the green light shot towards her brother. But before the deadly curse could hit him, Ron was jerked from the ground and strung up in the air by invisible ropes tied to his ankle.

Dumbledore had struck again.

The elderly wizard had finally managed to discard the group of clingy death eaters, all of who were frozen on the ground, and was now striding purposefully towards Voldemort.

"Though I have patiently been awaiting a visit from you, Tom, tonight is not the best night to drop in"

"Shut up, Dumbledore" Voldemort hissed, sending a warning curse in Dumbledore's direction.

"I don't like to be spoken to in that manner, Tom" Dumbledore deflected the curse and sent it back at Voldemort who, in turn, sent it sneakily towards Harry. Harry was just able to duck in time leaving poor Ginny to take the curse in the chest. She immediately collapsed.

"You don't stand a chance, Dumbledore… look around, your surrounded!" Voldemort waved a bony hand at the room where Death eaters were stepping out of the shadows, forming a tight circle around all the guests, awake and out cold.

"Murder or be murdered" Harry mumbled from somewhere behind Hermione. She spared him a glance before turning her attention back to Dumbledore and Voldemort.

As horrible and terrifying this situation might be, Hermione couldn't help but be fascinated, and slightly intrigued, at how these two powerful wizards regarded each other.

"You may be surrounding us, Tom, but, and it is now my turn to play a card, you are surrounded also" this time it was Dumbledore who waved a hand at the room.

There was a flurry of activity and suddenly spells of all types came flying from invisible people in the darkness, each skilfully hitting a death eater until only Voldemort was left standing.

"Harry" Dumbledore said lightly. Hermione turned to watch Harry walk forward but he was no longer behind her. He was now behind Voldemort. How he had gotten there, she had no idea, but the position was defiantly to his advantage.

Harry raised his wand defiantly and the ripple of an invisible curse thundered through the air, hitting the dark lord squarely in the back.

Voldemort's eyes widened in pain and fear and he gasped loudly before staggering sideways. Harry waited a moment longer before lifting the curse.

Voldemort turned to face Harry, his wand held limply at his side. Harry lowered his wand ever so slightly so he and his enemy could stare each other in the eye.

"Dumbledore wont be here forever to protect you, Potter" Voldemort hissed before waving his wand in a huge arm. For a split second the hall fell into total darkness and silence. When the lights re-ignited the hall was back to normal, void of all dark lords and death eaters.

Everyone stood still, holding their breath and bracing themselves for another attack.

Seconds passed, then minutes and finally people began to speak, asking each other if they were ok or declaring their opinions on what had just happened.

"I think it would be best if everyone went back to the safety of their houses" Dumbledore exclaimed, watching wearily as Harry and Ron knelt beside the fallen Ginny.

"Thanks for coming" Draco mumbled to a few guests passing close by on their way to the door. "Sorry it had to end this way"

Hermione was still standing in the same spot, staring avidly at Dumbledore and the spot where Voldemort had once stood.

She had been close enough to feel the power surging between them and for some strangely terrifying reason she felt as if she were connected to them, as if she were as powerful as they…

Dumbledore's gaze shifted from Harry to Hermione and the two of them stared at each other; Hermione with a puzzled expression on her face, Dumbledore with one of thoughtfulness on his.

Draco's hand closed across her wrist and she felt a shiver run down her spine as she turned to him.

"Ginny's ok" he said quietly, his worried grey eyes searching her face eagerly.

"That's good" Hermione said, suddenly feeling the pressure of his glare and turning her eyes on Ginny who was sitting up with a wiry smile on her face. Hermione felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She had been to busy pondering on the power of the wizards to even spare a thought for Ginny who must have been close to death.

"I suggest you two start your honeymoon now… I've arranged a carriage for you… we'll be fine to finish up here"

"Where are we going?" Draco asked, suddenly perking up. They'd left the honeymoon arrangements to Dumbledore who had seemed eager to surprise them. His eyes suddenly sparked up in their trademark twinkle.

"Ah… California I believe…"

Draco couldn't have left faster, dragging Hermione along with him.

"We'll see you guys when we get back" Hermione called over her shoulder. Her friends waved and smiled before vanishing from sight behind the door.

The carriage that Dumbledore had suggested was slightly larger than the one that had drawn her to the wedding but it was being pulled by the same white horses.

"Today was perfect" Draco muttered huskily in Hermione's ear as the carriage set off down the drive. "Well… apart from that mishap at the end of course…" he corrected himself with a smile.

Hermione grinned and kissed him on the forehead before turning to stare out the window as the carriage became suddenly airborne.

Draco stared at the back of Hermione's head, privately admiring how beautiful she was.

What he didn't see was the flash of red that passed across her eyes and the cruel smile that curled at the edge of her lips.

Yes, power was a wonderfully, addictive thing…

_**Done and Done! That was the final instalment! I am going to write a sequel… I haven't started yet but it'll be called QUEEN HERMIONE so look out for it in the new two weeks or so…**_

_**Please review for this chapter… I know you want to!**_

_**Til then…**_

_**Em**_


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